Savior in the Shadows
by Diviniti
Summary: 6th Year fic. Harry gets sick of Dumbledore running his life and decides to make his own decisions. What happens when he finds a book written by the HBP that teaches him the nature of the Dark Arts? What will Harry become? Independent, Powerful Harry
1. Chapter 1: The Will to Flee

A/N: This is an alternate sixth year fic which contains some aspects of HBP canon, such as the Half-Blood Prince and Slughorn, but there are some key differences. The main differences are Harry's different attitude, the lack of Horcruxes (although I have something equally horrifying planned), and no Hallows. The story is an R rated story although the first few chapters are around the PG/PG-13 range. Obviously a H/G tale, but with the focus on Harry dealing with the hardships of war and trying to create the future that he wants.

I plan to write two fics, the first being Savior in the Shadows, which is planned to be 250,000 words

Chapter One: The Will to Flee

Harry lay sprawled on his hard mattress, ignoring his uncle shouting at him. Harry knew he should go down before Vernon stopped yelling about the fact that breakfast wasn't made and started his rant about Harry being a lazy freeloader who deserved to be in an orphanage, but Harry couldn't find it in him to get out of bed. He hadn't gotten a full night's sleep since Sirius's death, and last night's dreams were especially bad. It wasn't always Sirius that Harry dreamed about; sometimes it was everyone who Harry knew would die because he was too weak to do his job and kill Voldemort. He was supposed to save people, but so far all he had done was get people killed. He would never have the ability to defeat Voldemort's Death Eaters, let alone the monster himself. Harry heard his uncle's heavy feet pounding up the stairs, but still didn't react. _I deserve whatever punishment he deals out… my Godfather is dead because I'm a freak…_ Harry told himself. _There's nothing that oaf can do to make it worse…_

However, it would seem that Harry's uncle wouldn't be harming his nephew. As Harry's door burst inwards, there was a soft pop in the room, and Harry saw a familiar house-elf.

"Dobby?" Harry asked, wondering why on earth this house-elf was in his house. Was Dumbledore using Dobby to keep track of him…?

"WHAT THE RUDDY HELL IS THAT … _thing_?" Vernon yelled in his roaring voice that was used mostly to intimidate pesky salesmen who knocked on the door or to try to intimidate one of Harry's type. He was already red in the face from yelling at Harry and climbing the stairs, and was now turning purple.

"He's a house-elf. A rather powerful magical creature, I might add. It would be best if you left the room now, he's quite loyal to me," Harry said with a straight face, enjoying the effect that had on Vernon's face.

"I WILL NOT TOLER-"

Harry chuckled as he saw the fear and desperation intersperse with Vernon's fury towards his nephew's freakish ways. "You have no choice unless you wish for Dobby to get my headmaster involved," Harry said, concluding the conversation and causing Vernon to slam his door shut behind himself, furiously grumbling about what he ought to do to teach freaks a lesson.

"Harry, yous is truly a greatest wizard, complimenting a lowly house elf such as myself. I is here bringing you a message from Griphook, and Gringotts, sir. They wish for you to meet them tomorrow at twelve."

"Err… thanks, Dobby. Do you know why Griphook needs to see me?"

"No sir, they is only telling me to deliver that message. They would contact you by Floo, but they cannot enter Harry Potter's house. Dobby was watching your house and I saw the failed attempt to enter, so I followed the goblins and spoke with them."

Harry nodded, annoyed that Dobby was indeed minding him, but impressed nonetheless by the house-elf's ability to find the goblins and deliver their message. "Ok, erm, Dobby? Does Dumbledore know of this?"

"He knows I was to pass a message to you, but he does not know what the massage was. Should Dobby tell Dumble-"

"No Dobby, that's alright. Can you Apparate me there when its time?" Harry said, glad that Dumbledore was not going to be there.

"Yes, Sir, I is returning tomorrow." Dobby proceeded to vanish.

As Harry sat back on his bed, he began to think once again about Dumbledore. While he was no longer angry enough to destroy the other half of his headmaster's office, Harry still didn't trust Dumbledore. Dumbledore ignoring Harry his fifth year was almost as annoying as the Ministry convincing the public he was a deranged, attention-seeking lunatic. Worst of all was the fact that Dumbledore hadn't told him the prophecy until Harry learned of its existence via Lucius Malfoy. If Harry had not found out about the prophecy then, it was possible he would still not know of its contents. Harry's mind raged on and on at Dumbledore's unfair treatment towards him. Surely if Harry was the one who could kill Voldemort, Dumbledore should have been teaching and training him for the confrontation ever since Harry came to Hogwarts and was nearly killed by Voldemort's spirit… Harry didn't want special treatment, he just thought that the least someone could do was tell him that his life was entwined with Voldemort's and not make him go through some of the most ridiculous trials and confrontations wondering why the whole time. He wasn't blaming Dumbledore for being bitten by a poisonous snake in his second year, being nearly killed by dementors multiple times during his third, or being tortured and nearly killed his fourth year, he was just furious that he was forced to go through all of those ordeals with no knowledge of the reasons why things were the way they were. He was willing to go have himself torn up and nearly killed as long as he knew why it was happening. He was sick and tired of hearing 'when you're older, you can know'. Voldemort killed children and wasn't going wait until he reached a certain age. He was going to fight, he choose to fight, but he wasn't going to fight for anyone else unless they were willing to work together as equals. He wasn't interested in being flossed around from the Dursleys to Hogwarts and back to the Dursleys until Dumbledore saw fit to throw him into the arena and tell him to hold his head high.

_It all comes down to the fact that he thinks I'm a bloody child and that he's some sort of ultimate guardian! I may not have been old enough to make my own decisions, but he never should have made them,_ Harry thought furiously. This train of thought kept Harry busy until the next day when Dobby popped into his room.

Harry was Apparated directly into the room of Griphook. _Wish I could do that house-elf trick_ Harry mused.

"Good day, Mr. Potter," Griphook said formally.

Harry wished he had paid more attention in History of Magic so he knew the proper greetings to say to a goblin. He had to make do with an "Err…Hello Mr. Griphook."

"I have called you here to discuss the will of Sirius Black. In his will, he gave all of his money, except for a sum of 5000 galleons to Remus Lupin, to you, as well as Number 12, Grimmauld Place."

Griphook handed a letter to Harry. "This is from him, for you."

Harry nervously opened the letter:

_Dear Harry,_

_If you are reading this, I probably have made an early departure from this world. I knew that one day I would go and get myself into a mess that I couldn't dig myself out of… I first want to tell you not to waste your time grieving for me, as I am probably with Prongs now, watching over you. I ask that you remember and honor me by enjoying life as only a true marauder could. I cannot tell you how proud I am of you, even though our time together was limited. I will be prouder still if you find it in yourself to continue to live as the son of a one marauder, and the godson of another. You're an intelligent boy with a moral strength that truly shines, and you're soon to become a man. Becoming a man, Harry, isn't something that is determined by age or is given to you when others think you are ready, it is something you must seize when you know inside of you that the time is right for you to rise up and grow to be the best that you can be. Soon it will be time for you become your own man and that means making your own decisions with your mind and heart. I've watched you and I have one piece of advice for you that I hope you will understand. _

_Harry, when you rely on the plans of others and fully trust in the goodwill of anyone, you trap yourself. I trusted Dumbledore and allowed him to slowly gain more and more control over my life until I was no longer making my own decisions about where I went and what happened in my own house. I trusted fully in his ability to ensure that the bell of justice always rang and I was wrong to put my life, or even a fraction of my life, in his hands. I'm sorry to tell you this, Harry, but trust me on this, I know. If there is one thing I know, it is that if you are not in complete control of your own life, the Wizarding World will consume you. This goes beyond accepting the fact that you are too young to be told information… You are a part of the war, loathe as I am to admit it, and I want you to give me one last promise. I want you to promise that you'll be no one's servant who does his bidding and learns not to ask questions. You must be the one making choices or you will end up like me, trapped under the will of others. We live in an imperfect world where the strong and cunning survive, and I want you to survive above all. It's a grim picture, I know, but it is true. Trust me on this, if there is one thing that I know, it is that the world is full of predators with sharp smiles. _

_I know what you have to do, Harry, and I know that you alone can make it happen. You must guide yourself to the goal because this is your job and your war, despite the fact that you are young and despite the fact that others may wish to orchestrate events and keep you moving to their tune. Don't be anyone's prisoner by doing what they think is right instead of what you know to be right. The minute you submit and go against your heart because someone else is forcing you to do so, you lose something very important. If you fully trust in Dumbledore's plan for victory, if your mind and heart agree with it, then go along with it. But if you don't agree or believe that he is making the right decisions for you, then you must make your own decisions. Life is about being the best person you can be and only you know how to do that. _

_I never wanted to give you this last gift, I wanted to be your guardian forever and help you as you fight against seemingly overwhelming odds, but it is too late for me to have what I want. I have liberated you and signed papers stating that you do not need a guardian. You have all that you need to seize freedom and grow unrestrained. James, Lily, Remus, and I have always been so proud of the boy that you were and we know that we will be proud of the man that you become._

_Love, _

_Sirius Black_

As Harry read the letter, tears caressed his face as the hole in his heart left by Sirius's death was reopened. He was overwhelmed by everything that Sirius was saying to him and could barely stand as his mind tried to deal with Sirius's words, which were echoing around his brain, mixing with the facial expressions and old memories of Sirius that were popping up uncontrollably in his head.

"Th-Thanks Griphook" Harry stammered, trying futilely not to break down. He could think about it later because right now he was in Gringotts and had other business that needed his focus.

"If you would follow me, please. Sirius left instructions for his money to be transferred to the Potter Family Vault."

Harry wiped furiously at his eyes, confused and intrigued by this new piece of information. "What?" said a shocked Harry, "You mean we… I… have another vault?"

"Yes, of course…" said Griphook. "You did not know? Surely Dumbledore told you that your parents were very wealthy…"

"No … there were many things he saw fit not to tell me." Harry muttered darkly. "I thought that the total of their savings was in the fund they set up for me to buy school supplies."

"That is utterly ridiculous! Well, I suppose you should come see it then."

"Yeah… I would like that." Harry was not excited about the extra money, but was quite eager to see if he could find out more about his heritage. He had always wished he could simply have more memories and possessions of his parents.

After a sharp descent, they arrived first at the Black Family Vault. Harry saw piles and piles of gold, as well as many ornaments made out of silver. It reminded Harry of Grimmauld Place… the place where Sirius grew up in surrounded by the dark wizards… the place where Dumbledore shut him up in… The dark affluence and moral bankruptcy of the Blacks had been Sirius's first jail. One day Harry would find a way to use the Black's money for something that would make all of them, with the exception of Sirius, turn in their graves.

Harry was eager to leave the gloomy Black Family Vault, but Griphook insisted that they must go into the very center of the vault. In the center there was an ornate key on a chain. The key was made of the finest silver, and there was writing etched in saying: _Master of the Most Ancient and Noble House of Black. _

Griphook told Harry to take the key. "It is now yours. This is the Black Family Key, and the wearer will be able to Apparate into the House of Black. This will also allow you to control the wards and Floo of the property, as well as command any house elves belonging to the house."

Harry took the key only because he wanted to expedite the process of leaving the Black Family Vault. A sick feeling formed in Harry's stomach thinking about Sirius, but Harry forced himself to temporarily forget about Grimmauld Place. He would keep the key on him and use it if need be, but otherwise he would steer clear of Grimmauld Place. It was never "home" to Sirius, and it would never be home to Harry, key or no key.

Harry found the Potter Family Vault to be very different from the Black Family Vault. It contained roughly the same amount of gold, but was also filled with suits of armor, gem encrusted swords, and various other gold treasures. Harry had never seen such wealth before, and still couldn't wrap his mind around the fact that he was now probably the richest man in England. It didn't change anything, really. He didn't really care about luxury or the fake popularity that wealth could buy, so he figured that the majority of his wealth would just remain in the vault. He didn't even plan to tell anyone of his newfound gold.

Harry ran to the center of the vault and sure enough he saw a beautiful key. It was made from shining gold, and the head was shaped as a lion, with glimmering rubies as eyes. Carved into the key was what Harry assumed was the Potter Family Motto: Fortune follows the bold.

Harry never knew that his family had a motto and he decided then and there to follow it as best he could. Harry didn't see himself as bold, letting Dumbledore control his life and make his decisions. Perhaps Harry had little fortune over the last year because he wasn't bold enough? What could he do now to ensure that this year went differently?

Then the thought hit him that if the Potters had a family key, they must have a house or, judging by the size of their vault, a manor.

"Griphook, I need to get to my father's house, how do I do that?"

"Ahh yes, Potter Manor. I do not know of its location, as most manors of that size are hidden by a number of charms. However, if you are truly the Potter heir, then hold the key and will yourself home. It will be a experience similar to Apparition."

"Griphook?"

"Yes?"

"Thank you."

Harry held his breath as he held the key to his chest and willed himself to go to the home of his father. He felt a slight twinge as the scenery of the vault faded and was replaced by what looked like a massive living room. He slowly looked around, taking in the richly adorned furniture and walls, decorated in Gryffindor colors. The house was very neat, which puzzled Harry, because he thought that no one had been living in this house for over fifteen years. Harry found his answer when a female house elf, who looked a little older than Dobby, but still much younger than Kreacher, appeared in front of him.

"Master James! Is it you? But… but yous can't be James … look just like him…" The house elf stammered, a mix of elation and confusion on her face.

"I'm Harry. Harry Potter. I'm James and Lily's son." Harry said, a bit shocked over having a house elf, but also remembering how useful house elves were.

"OH! You have her eyes…Madee is so honored to serve the next Potter." Madee proceeded to bow to Harry's feet.

"Madee, did my parents treat you like a servant or a friend?" Harry was a bit uncomfortable with having someone bow to him. He truly hoped his parents had similar feelings towards house elves.

"They… they was always treating me like family… they wouldn't let me call them master… they was much too good to a elf-"

"Good. You can call me Harry. I will not order you like a master, but if you wish to… help me, that would be great. Thank you very much for keeping the house so clean."

"Master Harry you is as great as your parents … you have no idea how happy we are to serve a Potter again." Madee's happy face turned to fear as she realized her slip.

"We?"

"Bad Madee … being untruthful to master … bad-"

"Madee!" Harry yelled, hoping that Madee wouldn't see fit to bang her head on any furniture. "I have two new rules. No punishing yourself and no calling me Master." After Madee calmed down Harry gently asked, "Now can you explain what you were talking about?"

Another house elf, a male who looked about the same age as Madee appeared in the room.

"I am Jonny, sir."

"We … we is married," said Madee, looking afraid.

"That's great," said Harry, not able to see what the problem was. "Err… is there a problem?"

"No, it is just that hardly any wizards is letting house elves marry… We was thinking you may make us -"

"Nonsense! If you love each other, I think its brilliant that you married," Harry said enthusiastically. _Hermione would loved to see this…_ Harry thought. _Although she would probably want to hex me for owning two house elves…_

"Yes, Lily found out that we loved each other, and she married us right away! We tried to stop her, as it is not the job of an elf to marry, but she wouldn't listen to us," Jonny said happily.

"If my mum wished for you to be married, then that's the way it will be," Harry said with a tone of finality.

"If you wish, we could show you around the house," Jonny said.

"I will be preparing lunch, what would you like?" Madee asked, excited to finally be able to cook for her master.

"Err… anything is fine, I'm not really sure…" He was still struggling to wrap his mind around all of the changes that had occurred this day.

"Shall I make you James's favorite?"

Harry nodded excitedly as he came to the realization that these elves probably knew a lot about his parents. Harry decided one day he would hear everything.

Harry followed Jonny all over the first floor. There was a magnificent dining hall, a comfortable sitting room, and a massive library. Harry guessed that this library perhaps rivaled Hogwarts. Hermione will be so jealous…Harry mused to himself.

On the next floor there were many bedrooms, and a master bedroom that Harry decided would be his. The realization finally hit Harry that he now had a true, wonderful home. Harry only wished he had known about it earlier. Yet another thing Dumbledore kept from him…

Harry got a massive surprise when he went to the third floor. He entered a huge hall and noticed that it was filled with moving portraits. Harry froze … "Does this mean I can talk to my parents?" he asked Jonny anxiously.

"Yes, and I believe they will be happy to see you." Jonny said with a smile forming on his face.

Harry ignored the other portraits greeting and talking to him. He raced to the end of the room where his parents were.

"Harry!" James and Lily's portraits both yelled. James looked proud and Lily had a tear streaking down her face. "My baby…"

"Mum…Dad…" At this moment Harry wished more than anything he could melt into their embrace. He wanted his parents to jump out of their portraits and hug him close and ruffle his hair.

After they greeted each other, the portraits asked Harry to tell them his story. Harry began by explaining how Peter Pettigrew betrayed them.

"THAT BASTARD … WHEN HE GETS OVER TO THIS SIDE I'LL BLOODY TEAR HIS HEAD-"

"James! Language. What's done is done… let Harry continue." Lily told him

"Lils … he was my friend… how could he! And it wasn't enough to betray me and you, he went and got Sirius put in Azkaban too!"

"I know dear, one day he will get what he deserves."

However James's anger was nothing compared to Lily's rage at her sisters treatment of her son. Finally Harry distracted his mother by launching into the tales of his years of Hogwarts. Harry finished with the death of Sirius, which brought a tear to both Harry and his father's eyes.

"We're so proud of you Harry. You've done so many great things… I know every portrait in this room is honored to have you as the Potter heir."

Harry nodded at his parents. It felt so good to be able to talk to them, to be able to share his burdens and grief with them. All his life his deepest desire had been to have a family. He knew that the portraits were not "real", and it "Would not do to dwell on dreams", but he allowed to portraits to enter his heart, and he allowed himself to think that, in a way, he still had some family left. One of his deepest desires, ever since he was locked up in a cupboard, was to find out more about his parents. He only wished he could have talked to them earlier in his life.

Why couldn't he have "met his parents" before now? Why couldn't he have grown up here? The property was obviously as well protected as Grimmauld Place, if not more protected. With the Fidelius Charm, surely Potter Manor would have been safer than Privet Drive… Why didn't Dumbledore even tell him about Potter Manor, let alone take him there? Why Privet Drive, of all places? Blood wards… that was a weak excuse in Harry's opinion because a Fidelius could have kept him safe. With Voldemort gone, Dumbledore could have simply warded any home that Harry stayed at and he would have been safe because Voldemort was an expert at destroying wards, but his Death Eaters, as far as Harry knew, were not. There was a slew of Wizarding families that wanted to adopt him… surely they weren't all self-serving, Malfoy-esque, families who would spoil him or use him for their own means? There must have been a real reason that Dumbledore put him in Privet Drive; a real ugly reason that Dumbledore forced him to go back there every summer. Harry meant to find out why, although he had a very nasty feeling that he knew the reason. There was something about Privet Drive that kept him morale low and kept his spirit crying for the day that he would be saved by Hogwarts. Dumbledore did everything for a reason and he must have had Harry yelled at, demeaned, and occasionally beaten for a reason.

This was the last straw in Harry's mind, the fact that Dumbledore never gave him the option of returning to his ancestral home. Instead, the over-controlling fool saw fit to place Harry in a home where he would be abused, underfed, and perhaps most importantly, not learn anything about magic. If he was to defeat Voldemort, surely the "Greatest Wizard in the World, Albus Dumbledore" should have been teaching and training him in magic. Surely when Voldemort regained a body it would have been prudent to train the only one who could destroy the snake… Any thought of mending bridges with the headmaster flew out of his mind. Harry made a promise to himself not to let the old man control his life by any means. He was going to break away from his old life, where he had no choice over his living arrangements and his role in the war. No longer would Harry James Potter hide under Dumbledore until Dumbledore saw fit to use him as a tool to destroy Voldemort. If Dumbledore wouldn't train him, Harry would learn it some other way and if Dumbledore wished to keep him in the dark, Harry would manage to find it out from another source. He was sick and tired of being submissive and obeying his orders. It was time to be bold.

That's what Sirius meant, Harry realized. He couldn't trust things to work out for the best anymore and he couldn't trust that anyone truly wanted the best for him until they proved it. There was too much cunning in the world, too many people who would do anything to achieve their own means, too many people who lost no sleep over the suffering of others. Harry Potter was a prisoner who had one chance for freedom. He could settle for the pitiful existence that Dumbledore, the Ministry, and Voldemort created for him, where he spent his year in jail with the Dursleys and during the school year followed Dumbledore's orders without knowing why or how he was supposed to fight a murdering tyrant, or he could try to get more. He may fail, but at least he could fail knowing that he tried to be his own man that Sirius could be proud of. He needed to try to take his life into his own hands and be the hand that played his own cards. Dumbledore thought that he needed to be a certain way to defeat Voldemort but Harry didn't agree; his heart and mind told him that to defeat Voldemort he would have to be stronger, more powerful, and smarter. Harry's idea of what 'walking into the arena with your head held high' differed from Dumbledore's and it was high time for him to become the man that he believed could kill Voldemort, not the boy that Dumbledore wanted him to be.

Harry began to form a plan in his mind. First of all, he would need to get his belongings from Privet Drive, and find a way to put the Manor under the Fidelius. Dumbledore was too smart for his own good and would probably figure out where Harry was and try to take him back to Privet Drive. The old man was so obsessed with "the greater good" that Harry wouldn't put it past him to perform a memory charm on Harry and leave him in Privet Drive. With the Potter key, Harry was able to make sure Dumbledore couldn't enter through Floo or Apparition, but he still didn't want his door to be broken down. Privet Drive was poisonous in an inexplicable way, Harry decided. Existing there took a toll on him and sapped his strength and will.

Second, Harry needed to start training, Harry decided the three most important areas to start on would be dueling, Occlumency, and physical fitness. Harry was driven to improve in these areas because he believed if he had been better in these three areas, the battle at the ministry might have turned out differently. He messed up royally so many times last year. If only he had locked Voldemort out of his mind or fought better in the Department of Mysteries… He should have been able to help the Order take out the Death Eaters quickly, not distract them and hinder them. He should have made sure that none of his friends got hit by curses… if he had been a better, stronger, and smarter person what was a disaster might have been a clean victory. Harry decided to research the first two topics, dueling and Occlumency in the library, and to start getting himself in shape by running around the Quidditch pitch next to the Manor. Harry decided that he would also buy some exercise machines and weights the next time he went shopping in Diagon Alley.

That led to the third step of Harry's plan. He needed a good disguise that would allow him to see to go out in public without being accosted by the Ministry and more importantly well-meaning old men determined to shut him up with Muggles. Harry was able to change his hairstyle and resolved to research glamour charms in the library.

The fourth item on Harry's agenda was what to tell his friends. Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Neville, and Luna deserved better than to be kept in the dark about Harry's whereabouts. Harry believed he could trust them to keep his secrets, but after all Hermione had too much faith in professors and Ron had a tendency to let things slip when he got emotional. He didn't know any of them well enough to share this with them… he had once chance to do everything right and fix his life and he wasn't going to risk it. What he needed was someone absolutely trustworthy who would listen to him without pestering him for details, someone who would agree with him that he shouldn't be treated as a child. Harry decided to figure that aspect out later, and kept himself busy by exploring his new mansion.

Harry enjoyed a breakfast that would rival Mrs. Weasley's after he came inside from his morning run. Madee said she could transport him to Privet Drive, and was true to her word. Harry appeared right in his room, and thankfully was spared from interacting with the Dursleys. Harry quickly packed up and grabbed Hedwig's cage and with a pop he left his uncle's house with no intention of ever coming back. Harry smirked; thinking about how whoever was on guard duty would have no idea how he escaped.

Harry thought about saying something to his relatives, but what was there to say? "Thank you for making my life miserable. Goodbye" Harry had nothing to say to them. They never wanted Harry, and Harry always dreamt of leaving them. He wished there could have been some poetic goodbye where they revealed that they did have a bit of love for him, but he wasn't about to delude himself; if the Dursleys cared for him they would have shown it by now. They were scum, Harry decided. He didn't want to see them again because he would have been sorely tempted to hex them. What do you say to someone you hate?

_Oh, come now, Harry, you don't hate anyone. You are too good, too pure for that,_ a voice in Harry's head said to him. "No, I hate them," Harry replied loudly. He wasn't too pure for hatred… no one was. Life was full of people, some of whom one loved and some of whom one hated. He hated Voldemort and he hated Umbridge… and he wouldn't let anyone judge him for having that feeling inside of him, including himself. He did hate and he did love… that's just the way he was.

Harry sat in his bedroom in Potter Manor and began to read the letters his friends had sent him. The one on top of the stack had Hermione's tidy signature on it, and Harry decided he might as well open it first. Hermione, sure enough, assumed he was sitting around brooding in a depressed state, and urged him to talk about his grief to her. Harry sighed; Hermione did mean well, but once she had her mind fixed on something, it was nearly impossible to shake her from that train of thought. And now she was fixed on the belief that Harry was moody and depressed. Of course she would never believe Harry if he said he was "fine", so Harry decided to completely avoid the topic of his emotions. He didn't want to describe what was going on in his mind and in his heart, especially when Hermione said he 'needed to'. He didn't need to give what was asked of him and follow her iron suggestions, even if it was for his own good to talk about his emotions and problems. Actually, Hermione did have the right idea. She was right in that it might be good for him to share his feelings with someone who knew him and understood him, but Hermione wasn't that person, despite the fact that she assumed herself to be the epitome of a friend. He could feel it in her letter. She didn't need to put it in words, he could just see her saying, "Harry, look, I was right about the Department of Mysteries and I am right about this. I have been your friend for so many years and you owe it to me to respond and tell me everything. If you do that, I can figure out how to help you using my knowledge of emotions and psychology." He didn't owe her any explanations and he certainly knew how to solve his own problems better than she did.

But as annoying as she could be in her belief that she, being the cleverest of the bunch, had a responsibility to try to analyze and correct other people's lives, Harry liked her as a friend. He really did value her friendship and wanted to repair it. Not by capitulating and pouring his heart out to her in a letter so that she could dissect it and come to her own conclusions about what he needed to do with his life, but by feeding her a tidbit of information to placate her and spark the Hermione inside of her who was understanding and could see beyond books and brains.

Harry picked up a quill and paper and began to write:

_Dear Hermione,_

_First of all, let me thank you for being at my side during the battle. I'm terribly sorry for dragging you five along with me. You will probably have heard by now that I have disappeared and the wards around Privet Drive have collapsed. Please do not worry about me, I am very safe. I will be able to tell you more later. _

_The reason I have left is because I can no longer trust Dumbledore to make the right decisions for me. Nearly all of his decisions have either needlessly subjected me to hardships, or isolated me. I know this is hard for you to understand, given your faith in Dumbledore and the other professors, but you must understand that the time has come for me to make my own fate, not have it decided for me by adults. The time may come when you will have to choose whether to trust me or trust Dumbledore. I hope to avoid that situation, but if he continues to try to be the one in control of my life, there may be no choice but to part ways. I don't know if you will understand this, but I hope you understand that everyone has to do what he or she think is best and right now that is what I'm doing. _

_And Hermione, please, I'm fine. I really am. I do need your help, but is trying to extract information from me and lecture me really help? I think not. Does trying to convince me that I don't know what's best for myself help anything? _

_I will be able to explain more thoroughly when we go to Hogwarts. In the mean time, I ask that you do your best to keep Ron from doing anything rash. I have, for the most part, always confided in you two, but I can't do that this time, and I don't want Ron to take it the wrong way. Snape and Dumbledore both use Legilimency and, I suspect many people will try to read mail delivered by Hedwig. When we get to Hogwarts, I plan to teach you Occlumency first thing, and I promise, no more secrets. If you want, I have left a book on Occlumency in my old room in number 12 that you can use if you wish to get a head start. I am also learning it at the moment. It turns out that Snape wasn't teaching me any of the things the book outlines. If you do decide to practice it, I would appreciate it if you could include Ron and Ginny as well._

_Your Friend, _

_Harry _

_PS: Hedwig will stop by number 12 a few times a week. If you want your mail to reach me give it to her. _

Harry hoped the thrill of learning something new would distract Hermione from pestering Harry to "open up".

Harry got out his next letter from Ron. Ron's letter wasn't too different than the usual. He talked about Quidditch, summer, and any other topics that avoided around the topic of Sirius. While Harry was glad Ron wasn't trying to force Harry to talk about his grief, Harry was a bit annoyed Ron was treating Harry like an emotional child prone to explode at any provocation. Harry quickly calmed himself and reminded himself that he had spent the last year bursting with anger. Ron was not at fault here; he was for having no control of his temper during the past year.

_Dear Ron,_

_I'm glad your enjoying your summer. I haven't been paying much attention to quidditch lately, as you can probably guess. I want to thank you for standing at my side during the battle; I hope you don't have any scars. I'm doing great this summer and I hope you are too. Let's just try to enjoy this summer and not spoil it by dwelling on the painful past._

_By the time you receive this letter, you will most likely have heard that I have disappeared from Privet Drive. Do not worry; I am in a safe place. I cannot give you any details yet, as both Snape and Dumbledore can read your mind. I will say that the reason I left was because I got sick of Dumbledore running my life and treating me like a child. I do not trust that he has my best interests at heart. I will explain everything when we get back to Hogwarts. _

_Have a great summer,_

_Harry_

_PS: Hedwig will stop by number 12 a few times a week. If you want your mail to reach me give it to her. _

Harry hoped Ron would understand that Harry could no longer tell him everything. Harry sighed; as much as he wanted to tell his friends about his new house and have them over, he couldn't. It was time for Harry to grow up, and once he saw signs that his friends had also grown up he would tell them everything. It would have felt nice to confide in his friends, like it was some sort of adventure, but the sad fact was that if he lost he would most likely be forced into Privet Drive and if he truly lost in the grand scheme of things, Voldemort would step over his corpse as he stepped on the Wizarding World.

Harry opened Ginny's letter next, not really knowing what to expect. He had become friends with her over the past year, but why was her letter nearly twice as thick as Hermione's?

_Dear Harry,_

_I hope you having been having a good summer, well, I know your probably not, but I hope something happens to make it a good summer. Summer at Number Twelve hasn't been too great either. Mum's been after Dumbledore to allow us to bring you here, but Dumbledore is being so stubborn. I wouldn't be surprised if he receives a few Weasley howlers… Ron seems to have picked up two new hobbies… writing to Hermione and ranting on about Dean Thomas being a git. I haven't told him that I never was dating Dean, but I will soon. _

_Things here are okay. Percy's still being the world's biggest git, but I don't even care anymore. I'm not going to lose any sleep over it. If he comes back, fine, but if he continues to become the perfect Ministry man than I have nothing but pity and disdain for him. Mum's still really sad about it and Dad, though he keeps a stoic face, is torn inside. He thinks that he did something wrong as a parent in regards to raising Percy. _

_I'm a bit bored here. Mum's strict as ever about letting us hear what's going on in Order meetings and I don't have anyone really to talk to, especially since Hermione's a bit mad at me. _

_Hermione seems to be quite worried about you, and she has been pestering me to copy down her speech as if it was coming from me… Don't worry I wouldn't do that; I know you will talk when you are ready and not a moment before. Nothing good will come from forcing the topic of Sirius in your face. We all want to know that you're okay, but hey, you're tough, and I have faith in your ability to be 'fine'. _

_You haven't been sending us any mail since the end of school, and Hermione seems to have jumped to the conclusion that you are blaming yourself for Sirius's death, starving yourself, and sinking into a state of depression. I don't believe that's true, but maybe you could send us a few letters just to reassure us? Letters really are important… I know you may not appreciate what someone may say to you, but it does hurt when someone thinks that you don't care enough to spend a few minutes of your time to drop them a word or two. Just think about writing them a short letter, okay?_

_As I wrote earlier, Ron has been writing to Hermione regularly. The twins have been sneaking a peek at his mail, in the hopes of finding a mushy love letter to blackmail him with, but I know they had no luck. That leads me to guess they have been talking about you and their plans to make you "talk". I'm not saying that I agree, not at all, I'm just letting you know so you know what to expect. _

_Anyway, hope to hear from you soon. Remember that Hermione and Ron mean well, they're just a bit thick about some things. _

_Also, if you're blaming yourself about the DoM, remember my first year. I blamed myself for it for quite a long time. Do you think I deserve to be blamed for the Chamber and the Basilisk attacks? We were both tricked by Tom. If you blame yourself for what happened, then you should blame me for petrifying one of your best friends and almost getting you killed. _

_While I didn't know Sirius nearly as well as you, I spent some time talking with him when you, Ron, and Hermione were off discussing things. I really liked him, he knew how to tell a great joke and do a good prank, but he was also one of the only people who didn't treat you and me like children who needed sheltering. It's hard to explain, but he was different than everyone else. As in at times, I felt like everyone else had their heads in the sand, but not Sirius. He once told me that the very people who the Order tries to keep in the dark about the war are going to have to fight it and the adults are obligated to make sure that our generation is ready. You knew him better than I did, but I could tell that he knew some of the real, darker truths of the world and… I think no one wanted to let him share those truths with any of us. Mum always wanted to keep him away from us, even though she was good at hiding it… and Dumbledore… I just don't know, but it seems like he wanted to keep him locked away, not just in Grimmauld, but away from you so he couldn't influence you. _

_Most of all, he was so proud of you, and talked about you all the time. He was a good man whose one dream was to be a great godfather._

_Your friend, _

_Ginny_

Ginny's letter was certainly not what Harry was expecting. When did she become so insightful? How was she able to understand Sirius better than any of his friends or even some of the adults were able to? Harry thought back about his past year at Hogwarts and realized that Ginny had really grown up. There was something mature about her letter and Harry couldn't place him finger on it. Perhaps it was the fact that her letter wasn't about getting something, like answers or explanations, or putting him on the spot and demanding anything uncomfortable from him, but it was about simply communicating and sharing her thoughts and memories about someone who Harry loved. She wasn't trying to force thoughts into his mind or extract words from his mouth and Harry wasn't used to that.

Harry felt slightly bad that he had ignored Ginny for so long, especially when he forgot that she was possessed by Voldemort her first year. They both had a connection to Voldemort, but instead of talking to her, he pretended like she didn't exist. She must have been feeling awful after her first year, but he hadn't spared her a second thought. Now he had suffered through an awful ordeal and she was letting him know he was there for her. Harry never knew she got to know Sirius that well, although the reason I never knew that was probably a result of me subconsciously excluding her he thought to himself.

It hadn't felt uncomfortable reading her letter so perhaps he should respond. After all it was common decency to respond to a letter, especially when someone put effort into the letter. He wasn't going to tell her about his plan, but it couldn't hurt to write to her about his thoughts concerning the Ron and Hermione situation and the events of his fifth year, just like she had done.

Harry wasn't sure, but he thought that there was a real maturity in her letter than had not been there in Hermione's or Ron's and he thought that maybe Ginny was a person who could understand. She seemed to understand his rage against a system that demanded things from him, but gave him nothing and kept him in the dark… perhaps she could understand that he had to do something. He had to be careful and not reveal anything crucial, but… it would feel good to get a little bit of his thoughts off of his chest. Then he could wait for some time and check to see if she had told anyone, which would check her loyalty.

Harry began to write her a long letter, but then reconsidered and decided he would simply tell her in person.

_Dear Ginny,_

_Thanks for writing to me, your letter was much more insightful than Ron and Hermione's. I thought that Sirius was the only person that understood me, but I've realized that you have there all along. Thanks for being such a good friend last year. I am angry and disappointed with myself in regards to the occurrences in the Department of Mysteries and the way I led my best friends into a trap, but I understand how it is not my fault. However, you must understand that while it may not have been my fault, I can and must take responsibility for what happened, or it will happen again before my eyes. _

_I would like to talk to you in person about this… there are some things that I don't know how to convey in a letter. By the time you get this letter, you will probably have heard the news that I have vanished. Don't worry; I will explain everything in person. Come to Sirius's old room at 10 o'clock tomorrow. Don't tell anyone._

_Your friend, _

_Harry_

He did blame himself for the Department of Mysteries. He blamed other people too, but the fact of the matter was that he should have been preparing for such encounters ever since Voldemort attacked him in his first year. Sure, he could blame Dumbledore for not telling him that Voldemort would try to kill him constantly, and Harry did, but he also could have been smarter and figured out that training was necessary along time ago. He had to have more foresight than his friends or other fifth years. He should have been concerned with gaining the ability to protect himself and others on the day that he was told that Voldemort hated him and was not vanquished. His friends that night were his responsibility because they had followed him, but he wasn't strong enough to protect them. Ginny and Hermione were right in way when they worried that he was blaming himself, but they also needed to understand that he was right to admit that a significant share of responsibility lay square on his shoulders.

With the letter out of the way, Harry called for Jonny.

"Yes Master?"

"Please call me Harry. Can you show me the list of the members allowed in through floo and through the Fidelius?"

"Right away" Jonny said happily, glad to be of assistance.

Jonny popped back in the room with a list in his hand. "People who have passed away were automatically removed from the list."

Harry looked at the piece of old parchment, seeing three names on the list.

_Remus Lupin_

_Peter Pettigrew_

_Albus Dumbledore_

Harry groaned at the idea of the traitorous rat being allowed in this house. Harry immediately asked Jonny how to remove names. Harry learned that all he had to do was say, "Peter Pettigrew, you are no longer welcome in Potter Manor!" and the name faded off of the page.

Harry looked at Dumbledore's name, feeling anger threaten to over take him. _The bumbling, manipulative codger knew all along about Potter Manor._ Harry thought while clenching his fists and removing Dumbledore's name from the list. _He could have come here and left me here at any time! He could have let Sirius and I live here! I WOULD HAVE AT LEAST BEEN ABLE TO TALK TO MY PARENTS!_ By this point Harry was in a murderous rage. He stormed around his house and decided to pop into Grimmauld Place. Secrecy was out of his mind; he was going to give Mr. "What is right, and what is easy" a piece of his mind. _He can find a new bloody Order location, see how he likes having someone else decide what he can and cannot do! All I wanted… my one dream was to know something about my parents and talk to them… it would have been easy for him to allow me to spend a summer in Potter Manor… perhaps with Sirius taking care of me. How could Dumbledore, who knew what I saw in the Mirror of Erised, keep me in the dark about the fact that my parents had a beautiful home? _

Temporarily blinded by a consuming fury, Harry's mind was overwhelmed by the hot blood pumping through his veins, telling him to yell, scream, smash, and cause pain. As his hand enclosed around the Black key, a fragment of a rational thought entered his mind, _Dumbledore probably isn't there. You will just give yourself away to the Weasleys, who will end up telling Dumbledore._ Harry paused, his emotions wanted to find Dumbledore and practice a few Auror dueling techniques he had read about, but his mind telling him that it would be a better idea to let Dumbledore stew in his failure to keep Harry under surveillance. Sirius would prefer I did this like a true marauder, with finesse instead of letting my anger ruining the situation. Harry began to think about this as one big prank, an ode to Sirius and James. Also, in case things turned sour, Harry could blast Dumbledore and his information-hiding Order out of Grimmauld place quicker than Rita Skeeter could ruin a reputation.

"It's my property now! I can remove him from it now!" Harry said to himself, his mind envisioning the scene. It would feel really, really good to triumph loudly and boldly by angrily booting the Order out of his house, but that was something the old Harry Potter would do. He had time alone at Potter Manor now… he needed to strengthen himself before he entered a conflict.

Harry decided to take his mind off of Dumbledore by practicing Occlumency, something he would have to learn to keep Snape and Dumbledore from finding out too much information. He began to read a book that looked like the one he had sent Hermione. The general gist was what Snape was teaching him to do, but with the exception that the beginner occlumens should begin by organizing his memories like a castle protected by moats, with mundane, unimportant memories forming many buffer zones around his private memories. But that was easier said than done; about an hour after Harry had started to organize his mind, he got a headache.

Harry roamed around the library, stretching his legs when he saw a section in the back titled "Dark Magic". Harry was quite surprised to see a section on that topic, but with this house being very old, it was understandable that they would have collected books of all natures. Harry picked up a book that looked handwritten, called Tome of the Shadows. It was a raggedy old thing, not a flawless Lockhart hardcover.

Since it was handwritten, Harry decided the safe thing to do would be to check it for any traces of magic, just in case it turned out to be similar to Riddle's diary. Harry cast a Revealing Charm, and there seemed to be no change. Harry opened the book to a page in the middle and it was the same, unmoving, nearly illegible cursive. However, when Harry proceeded to open the cover, he saw words etched in blood slowly appear.

_This Book is the Property of the Half-Blood Prince_

**A/N: So… how was the first chapter? Yes, I'm sure it was a bit clichéd, but I do think that the plot becomes pretty original. I hope you can find the time to review and read more chapters. Check out my other story, Rise of the Grey Lord, Part One: Nobility if you liked this one, although I must inform you that RotGL is temporarily on hiatus because I want to finish up Savior. It's not abandoned, I promise. Anyway, review and all that stuff. Until next time.**


	2. Chapter 2: Master of Disguise

2. Master of Disguise

Harry spent the whole afternoon and night reading this "Prince's" books. There appeared to be five chapters.

1. _Spells for Enemies_

_2. Advanced Spell Casting_

_3. Spell Creation and Theory_

_4. Potions_

_5. Dark Rituals_

Harry began reading the first chapter, highlighting spells he didn't know. At first he shuddered at how gruesome they were, but then he reminded himself that if he was to stand a chance against Death Eaters such as Bellatrix Lestrange and finally Voldemort, he would have to broaden his knowledge of magic. Expelliarmus just wouldn't cut it for the final battle; plus the idea of trying out some of these curses on the woman who had killed his godfather was quite satisfying.

So far from chapter one he had underlined the Severing Curse, Flaying Curse, Greater Incineration Curse (_Incendio Maximus_), Propelling Charm, Bone Breaking Curse, Rupturing Curse, Centering Curse, Siphon Life Curse, Blinding Curse, Blood Boiling Curse, and many more curses; most of which led to a horrible death if not countered.Many of these curses disgusted Harry, but he reminded himself once again that this is what he was up against. The Death Eaters and Voldemort wouldn't hesitate to harm him or the people he cared for, so he had to be able to stop them, even if that meant using lethal force.

Whoever the author was certainly had a vast knowledge of dark spells. A part of Harry wanted to never look at the book again, since it was likely written by either Voldemort or some other dark wizard who rivaled his knowledge of the Dark Arts, but he reminded himself that he had to kill Voldemort whatever the cost, and that was not going to happen using a Dumbledore-approved method. Harry resolved to put off the moral questions involved in learning dark spells by simply pursuing another field of magic that was also very important.

Harry wandered off into more cheerful sections of the library, picking up a book called _Disguises and Appearances: for Wizards_. Harry read through the book, picking out charms to change hair length, hair color, eye color, and facial hair. Harry found that with a little bit of practice he could change his hair color and length naturally. Intrigued at the possibility of being a Metamorphagus, Harry tried to change other facial features, but with no success. Harry shrugged, not really concerned; from what he had read, a few glamour charms in addition to completely different hair would be enough to fool people who were either determined to shut him away or take photographs of him and put his business in the news.

Harry decided to go with shining hazel eyes; the eyes of his father. However, Harry decided against using the dark red hair of his mother's because that was sure to attract attention. Harry settled with light brown hair, which he grew into elegant, long curls. A tear formed in his eye as he remembered viewing a sixteen year old Sirius casually tossing his graceful hair, capturing the attention of more than one witch. _Stop it, Potter! Sirius would be proud of using his hairstyle in your plans. Make him proud, don't sit around and mope, you've done enough of that already!_ Harry mentally told himself. Harry proceeded to place a glamour charm on his forehead, disguising his scar. With a long look in the mirror, he felt sure he wouldn't be recognized.

Satisfied for what he had accomplished that day, Harry went outside for a quick nighttime flight around the Potter Quidditch pitch. Harry let everything fade into the background as he flew faster and faster, pushing his Firebolt to its top speed. No plans for his future, no strange dark book to study, and no Voldemort; only the wind in his face and the thrill of motion. As Harry finished his flight with a perfectly executed Wronski Feint, Harry found that he was exhausted from his day's work. Still, it was a 'good' exhausted. He had done some exercise, learnt a few new curses, and created a good disguise. Harry mused that if every day he simply slightly increased the pace of his various types of training, he would be a completely different person when Hogwarts started. It was with that thought that he fell asleep to dreams of single handedly taking out the ministry's top Auror team.

However he found himself being ripped out of that dream and planted in another. He was surrounded by figures clad in black robes. He recognized Lucius Malfoy's sleek blonde hair, as well as Bellatrix and Snape. There were a few others, but they had just donned their masked and Disapparated after hearing their lord dismiss them.

"Severus, what news do you have concerning the Order and their missing boy?" Harry heard a high, cold voice that seemed to come from himself.

"They are in quite a panic, my Lord," Harry heard the oily voice of Snape utter. There was no telling from his tone whether he was going to betray the Order, or give Voldemort trivial truths. "Dumbledore has sent members to many locations. I believe he thinks Potter was captured by our forces while the foolish brat got bored and decided to wander."

Harry wracked his brain, searching for any piece of information that would clue him in concerning Snape's loyalties, but he simply did not have enough information.

"Good… good," Voldemort said wickedly. "This can easily be worked to our advantage. Dumbledore values that boy such that he will use all of his forces to find him. We will take this opportunity to strike hard and fast. Lucius, I believe last week I asked you to prepare a list of traitors in the Ministry?"

"Yes, my Lord." Harry couldn't decide what was worse, Lucius's arrogant drawl, Voldemort's deathly pitch, or Snape's oily sneer. "The few figures left in the Ministry who won't be either corrupted or cowed are Bones, Weasley, and Shacklebolt. Without them, the Ministry will be completely unable to put up any resistance."

"Good work Malfoy… you have redeemed yourself. However should _anything_ go wrong in our purging of the Ministry… I will not be so forgiving this time."

Lucius and Bellatrix both shuddered, remembering how "forgiving" their master was after their failure to acquire the prophecy.

"Bellatrix!" Voldemort snarled, breaking her out of her memories. "Have you had made any progress in claiming the house of Black?"

"N-no Master. My deceased cousin went to great means to ensure the House would never end up in my hands. I suspect he willed it to Potter."

"Very well then, our goal becomes clear. We must put out a search for Potter, as well as remove Bones. It is critical that we find Potter, as the boy's death will mean the house will fall into your hands. Then we can weasel out Dumbledore's rag-tag group of blood traitors," Voldemort said, a horrendous expression of glee written across his face.

Voldemort pressed his forearm, calling his servants back. He assigned them their tasks, remembering to remind them what the price of failure would be.

Harry jerked out of his vision and found himself lying in his bed, covered in sweat. Harry was completely at a loss of what to do. Voldemort was going to strike a terrible blow, and was starting the upcoming war officially. Thankfully, Harry was safe in Potter Manor, and the Weasleys currently were safe in Grimmauld Place, but Madam Bones and Shacklebolt were not. Harry had to get warnings out; any way he could. Harry didn't trust Snape to inform the Order about Voldemort's plans, and Harry had a nasty suspicion that Snape might 'forget' about the fact that the Weasleys were going to be targeted. After all, if _all_ of Voldemort's operations were unsuccessful, Snape would have a hard time convincing his master the Order didn't have a spy. Dumbledore may believe Snape, but whichever side he was working for Harry knew the greasy git's top priority would be to save his own skin.

But how to ensure that the targets were protected without giving away his disguise? If he did just barge into an Order meeting and try to explain, he would probably drown under an ocean of questions… Harry's brain worked furiously for a few minutes, before coming up with a plan. Harry guessed that there would be an Order meeting in the night, and that Snape would be there. Harry rubbed the Black and Potter Keys; they would be put to good use in about twenty hours. With that thought, Harry fell back asleep to dreams of booting people who insisted on treating him like a child out of Grimmauld Place.

Harry woke up to the smell of a hearty breakfast, realizing he had overslept. He asked Madee to put a warming charm on his breakfast as he went outside and performed his laps around the pitch, and a series of exercises that did not require machinery. He realized how out of shape he was as pangs of soreness shot through his body, but he forced himself through the motions. Feeling ravenous, he quickly showered and proceeded to devour his breakfast.

He then remembered that he had promised to meet Ginny in Sirius's room. Harry couldn't explain the nervous feeling he had at meeting Ginny. Well, he could explain that he was nervous of Ginny being upset at what he had done and running to her parents or Dumbledore, but what Harry couldn't explain was why her acceptance mattered more to him than Ron's or Hermione's.

Harry shrugged, accepting that there was nothing to do but to see how it would go. With a flash he disappeared from the house of his parents and appeared in the house of his godfather.

"Harry!" Ginny ran up to him and hugged him. "Where have you been? How did you get here?! We were all so worried… Mum's going bonkers… and so is the Order from the looks of things…"

"Erm… Ginny? Maybe you should sit down, this will take a while."

Ginny nodded and they sat on the couch. "Well, you see, I left the Dursleys because I realized that I could not keep living with Dumbledore in control of my life. I know I sound calm now, but I was furious back then… He had just done so many things that had made my life miserable..."

"You mean by how Dumbledore put you in the Dursleys? And about Sirius?" Ginny inquired. She knew about Dumbledore forcing Harry to live with the Dursleys, but she knew that there must have been something more to make Harry angry enough to run away.

"Ginny, do you promise not to repeat this to anyone?"

"Of course, Harry. I'd never tell a soul," Ginny said, holding Harry's hand reassuringly.

"Sorry, Ginny, I mean… I trust you, but it's just that… well, these secrets are pretty surprising…well, here goes…" Harry proceeded to tell her about the prophecy, which made her mouth open wide, and the beginning of a tear to fall down her face. When he began to talk about how Dumbledore had kept this from him, and ignored him all year, Ginny could literally feel the waves of anger and hurt cascade off Harry.

"… and then after ALL he did last year, I find out at Gringotts that my parents had a wonderful, safe house that Dumbledore could have taken me to at any bloody point in time… It was under the Fidelius for godsakes… and I saw that Dumbledore was on the list of people able to Floo in. That's when I lost it, when I realized that it was his fault I never got to talk to my parents' portraits, or even be around their things," Harry concluded.

"I understand, Harry, really, I do," Ginny said. "It wasn't his place to take control of your life when you were a baby and every year as Hogwarts has gone by, he has slowly made more and more decisions for you. And then with the prophecy…" Ginny shuddered, wishing that the burden could be placed on someone, _anyone_, other than Harry. But deep down, everyone who knew Harry knew that if anyone could kill Voldemort, it would be Harry. Harry Potter was a hero, Ginny knew, in every sense of the word, even if he didn't believe it himself. Ginny knew, in that instant, that she would believe in him to the very end. Ginny reached out to squeeze his hand. Her heart broke to see his green eyes look so lost, like he carried the weight of the world on his shoulders. "Harry, we believe in you. We all do. You're going to win, and we will be there every step of the way!"

"You don't understand… As long as I hide from Voldemort, the more people are going to keep dying! I'm supposed to be able to stop that but I can't. I don't want people to die for me!"

"Harry! Listen to me," Ginny said, determined to somehow lift the burden that was crushing him inside. "You can't kill Voldemort yet, but one day you will be able to. Until that day you need to _live_. Sirius may have died for you, but he didn't die because of you. He died because he loved you and would do anything to see you enjoy life. You can't let Voldemort rob you of that."

"How can I let people die when I sit around on my-"

"You're not letting them die! You can't save everyone, and you can't go out to fight him yet. People who are killed by Voldemort die because of his actions, NOT through your inaction." Ginny's voice was raised, not in anger, just in a desire to force him to understand that the prophecy didn't make him responsible for everyone in the bloody wizarding world.

Harry was stunned by Ginny's statements. How did she see right into him and make him feel as if everything would be ok? "Th-thanks Ginny, I… wasn't thinking that well… I suppose it would be best for me to train for a while without worrying about going after Voldemort. Err, thanks for understanding." In all honestly, Harry had been half expecting Ginny to not want to be anywhere near someone who had temporarily run away from society, and either would get murdered or turn out to be a murderer. In addition to the fact that Harry had subconsciously excluded her from his adventures…

"It's not a problem. As I said earlier, we all are here for you," Ginny said, feeling the urge to wrap her arms around Harry, but restraining herself. "Were you going to tell me what you have been up to? You don't have to if-"

A part of Harry did want to keep Potter Manor a secret, but a greater part of him wanted to share everything. Also, considering how he had ignored her for the past five years, the least he could do was not hide things. "After Sirius's d-death, I was called to Gringotts, and I received everything of Sirius's, except for a few things he gave to Moony. I also found out about Potter Manor. It's amazing, Ginny, I wish… well, no use worrying about that now, what's done is done."

"I'm glad for you, but you do realize that Dumbledore and the Order are going completely nutters trying to find you? I agree that you cannot go back to your aunt's house, but maybe you should talk with Dumbledore?"

"Ginny, after all that Dumbledore's done to me, would you really put it past him to just put me back in Privet Drive and place a memory charm on me? Dumbledore has gotten so used to running everything, that he's forgotten that he isn't right about everything. I respect him and his contributions to the war, but I can't let him use me like tool, especially since he never reveals his plans to me beforehand." This was the most important point of the conversation; whether or not Ginny would side with him or Dumbledore.

"I get it; you're sick of being treated like a child. _That_ I understand rather well."

"Good." Harry was very relieved to know Ginny could relate to him. "Well, that's about everything. Thanks Gin."

Ginny tensed at the use of "Gin", but then reminded herself that Harry could not know that she hated nicknames that Fred and George used to tease her with. She smiled at him; he could call her anything and she probably wouldn't mind. Well, anything but "ickle Ginnikins". "So what have you been up to in your new house? You do look a lot better than you did on the train ride back."

"I've been training, mostly in Occlumency and defensive magic." Harry decided it would probably be best to 'forget' to mention the Half-Blood Prince, whoever he was. He had told her enough wild things for the day. Thinking of the wild things he had been up to, he whipped out his wand and changed his face into his disguise.

"Bloody hell! Harry is that you? How? Are you a meta-" Ginny's face was a mixture of shock and excitement.

"No, I can change my hair, and I put a glamour charm over my face. It's so I can go out in public without being snagged by the Order, Ministry, or Death Eaters. Can you tell that it's me?"

"Hmm, not unless you look really closely. I don't think anyone will be able to recognize you. It's a good idea too. There are Order members everywhere looking for you," Ginny said thoughtfully. "What do you plan on doing?"

"Well, today I have to go on a shopping spree," Harry said with a chuckle. His expression turned dark, however, when he thought about his evening business.

"What's wrong?" Ginny inquired.

"I had a vision where Voldemort was planning to attack certain people. Snape, Lucius, and Bellatrix were all assigned tasks, and the Order needs to know what is going on with Voldemort. Normally, I wouldn't mind keeping them in the dark… a dose of their own medicine… but Voldemort has sent out teams to attack you family, Madam Bones, and Kingsley," Harry concluded, knowing Ginny would not be happy at the threat to her family, but Harry decided she had to know. It was of utmost importance to Harry that the Weasleys stay safe, but knowing the Order, they probably wouldn't tell the minors Voldemort's plans.

"You're … sure?" Ginny said weakly.

"Yes. And I need you to promise me that you will do your best to keep you and your family safe. The Order won't tell you about the danger you're in… Please, stay safe." Harry pleaded.

Normally Ginny would have hexed anyone trying to be overprotective of her, but Harry's pleading look dissolved any anger she possibly could have had. "I promise."

"Good," Harry muttered in relief. "Snape knows you lot are in danger, but he's a git and there's no knowing what he will tell Dumbledore. This will also be a good test of how loyal he is."

"But Harry, how do you plan to listen in on the Order meeting?"

Harry chuckled. "You're talking to the owner of two of the most ancient houses in Great Britian. I can silently Apparate in, and wear a cloak. If the meeting doesn't go the way I plan, I can come out and tell the Order the whole story, and hopefully expose Snape."

Ginny thought for a moment, then asked a slightly unrelated question, "Do you plan on letting anyone see Potter Manor?"

"Well, eventually," Harry said thoughtfully. "I would take you there now, but your family would notice you missing."

"I meant why are you telling me everything, but not Ron and Hermione?" Ginny questioned, making sure her face showed no emotion. She was excited by the prospect of Harry including her in his plans, but confused as to why he was doing so now. Could it be that he is finally… Ginny scolded herself for allowing herself to think along those lines, reminding herself that she got over him years ago.

"When I read your letter, err, I realized that you really understood me. I knew I had to tell someone, and I thought that no one would understand. Hermione would make me 'fess up' to Dumbledore, and Ron would probably blurt it out if we got into a row. I do plan to tell them, but I need to see that they have both grown up before I confide in them." Harry also felt that a part of the reason he was talking to Ginny was because of the way he had ignored her for years, but he knew Ginny wouldn't respond well if he hinted that he was doing this out of pity. "When I read your letter, I realized you might be younger than them, but you're older emotionally. I don't know how you understand me so well, considering how I've been a git to you all year…"

Ginny was shocked; Harry actually understood that she was not a child? How could that be? She had been trying to convince her family of that fact for years without any success… Before today she had given up hope of Harry ever seeing her as anything more than a girl with her elbow in the butter dish. Of course, she knew it was impossible for Harry to ever fancy her, but for him to notice her as a good friend was still a massive improvement. "Harry, last year was a bad year for all of us, don't worry about it." Ginny paused wondering how to word her next sentence. "Thanks for … for talking with me. It means a lot to me. If you need help with anything or want to talk more, I'll be there."

Harry smiled, realizing that she was saying that she would be his friend and that she trusted him. "Thanks. I'll come by sometime to show you my house. If you want, that is."

Harry got up to leave, but Ginny wasn't going to allow him to go anywhere without a quick goodbye hug. Harry had to admit that the hug had been rather comfortable… Ginny had grown up after all… A tiny bit of red crept into Harry's cheeks, but he quickly popped into Potter Manor before Ginny could see the formation of his blush. Of course, that also made him miss Ginny's reaction to the hug.

Harry James Potter, what was that all about! his mind told him. He had received many hugs from Mrs. Weasley, Hermione, and Ginny before; never had his thoughts led in that direction, however. He decided he was just glad that the conversation had gone well. That was all, nothing out of the ordinary…

Harry decided to occupy himself by going shopping. Harry decided his first stop would be to Gringotts. He had a list of things he wanted, and purchasing them would require a good bit of money; both wizarding and muggle money.

His only methods of travel were using Floo, house-elf Apparation, or riding the Knight Bus. He decided using the Knight Bus would be best, since Floo travel could be tracked and it was uncommon for people to use the abilities of house-elves for transportation. Harry walked outside of Potter Manor and walked to the nearest road and called for the Knight Bus. After a few minutes, he saw it approaching rapidly.

"Oi, hello there… come on board." Harry saw Stan Shunpike reaching out from the bus and grabbing his luggage. "What's your name and where ya need to go?"

Harry groaned inwardly, he had forgotten to come up with a name. He tried to think of one that was unrelated to the people he knew, but he wasn't able to. The fact that Stan was looking at him curiously didn't help either. "John… John Andrews", Harry said, quickly slipping Stan a nice tip to dowse his curiosity. Harry got the name 'John' from James and 'Andrew' from his grandfather. Harry reminded himself that he would need to get used to saying it; it just wouldn't do to slip up if people were watching. "Gringotts, Diagon Alley please."

"Step on it, Ern!"

Harry got of the bus at Gringotts after paying for his ride. Harry dropped his disguise when talking to the goblin cashier; he would need to be Harry Potter to access Potter Vault. "How may I help you?" the goblin said, neither in a happy manner nor in a grumpy manner.

"Harry Potter. I need to withdraw money from my vault."

The goblin inspected his key, and then asked him if he wished to open a 'Bottomless Bag'.

"Err… what's that?"

"For those who wish and need to withdraw large amounts of money regularly, Gringotts offers a bottomless bag. It is a bag linked to your vault, from which you can take money out of. You must say the amount you require, and it will be withdrawn from you vault and placed in the bag. It can also convert your Galleons to Muggle money," The goblin explained in a business-like manner, obviously trying to convince Harry to purchase one.

"How much to they cost?" Harry inquired, although he really did like the sound of this bag. He had thought he would have to lug around a heavy sack of gold or constantly have to stop back at Gringotts.

"One thousand Galleons. I must remind you that these are only for those who feel the need to regularly spend great sums of money. These are not aimed at the student market."

"I'll take it," Harry said firmly. One thousand Galleons was a bit steep, but the bottomless bag would certainly make his shopping a good bit easier.

The goblin proceeded to charm his bag to his vault, and handed the bag to Harry. Harry immediately tried it out. "Five Galleons," he said and reached into the bag, finding five coins. He placed them on the goblins desk, causing the goblin's face to immediately brighten. "A pleasure doing business with you Mr. Potter."

Harry had one more thing to discuss with the goblin. "Can you make sure that no one, especially an individual by the name of Albus Dumbledore, receives notification of my business here?"

The goblin nodded and told Harry that Gringotts would keep his gold and his secrets. Harry thanked him and left, making sure to wear his disguise.

He decided that the next item on his agenda would be to buy some clothes that didn't look like they were made to fit a baby hippopotamus. He called the Knight Bus again and asked Stan to take him to a muggle shopping center. He entered a Muggle clothes shop and filled his cart with all kinds of shirts, jeans, socks, underwear, sweaters, coats, and shoes. The thought of being able to choose what he wore was really exciting to him, so naturally his cart was overfilled and he could barely push it. Of course, he would never admit to anyone how much he enjoyed clothes shopping, but it felt good to be able to just buy whatever he wanted without worrying about anything else.

After paying a good seven hundred pounds for his clothes, Harry was left with the problem of what to do with them. He didn't want to carry them with him, but he didn't have time to go back home and return. Normally he would have performed a shrinking charm on them, but the last thing he needed was to get in trouble for underage magic. Harry decided to go behind the building, out of sight, and call Jonny. Jonny took his clothes back to Potter Manor while Harry planned his next destination. He went to a Muggle sports shop and purchased a variety of exercise equipment and weights, which Harry had Jonny transport while no one was looking.

Next he went to Diagon Alley, for two purposes. One was to pick up some various magical items, but the other reason was to see if there were any Order members or Death Eaters stationed there. He first went into the Apothecary's, buying the ingredients for an Animagus-Revealing Draught. He would be able to practice that because that didn't require a wand. Harry suspected that using magic would be safe in Potter Manor, but either way, it would be cool to be an Animagus. He only wished he could have Sirius there to teach him…

While he was thinking about wands and ways to not get a letter by Madam Hopskirt, he had a brilliant idea form in his mind. He hurried over to Ollivander's. Flourish & Botts bookstore was on the way, and Harry saw Kingsley Shacklebolt milling around nearby trying to look inconspicuous. Harry chuckled, guessing that his job was to nab Harry as he went book shopping. Harry walked past him and got to Ollivander's shop without seeing any other familiar faces. Harry entered the shop, greeting the wand-maker.

"Hello, Mr. Andrews, you are here to buy a wand I presume?"

"Yes sir," said Harry quickly, hoping Ollivander wouldn't ask too many questions. If he did, then Harry hoped he would buy the story that John went to Beauxbatons and had his French wand broken last year.

Luckily, Ollivander didn't press Harry for more information, and proceeded to give him a selection of wands to try.

When none of them yielded Harry great results, Ollivander began to start getting suspicious. "Mr. Andrews, it seems as if you have already been chosen. Are you sure your old wand is broken?"

"Yes," Harry said, hoping that the next wand he tried would give him at least a few sparks. "My old wand, which was made in France, had a phoenix core. Would you happen to have any of those?"

"Hmm…" Mr. Ollivander said thoughtfully. Harry knew it was dangerous to give Mr. 'I remember every wand I ever sold' this information, but Harry had a plan for that little snag. "I do, indeed, have one wand with a phoenix core. It is from the phoenix Moltres, who has not been sighted in nearly twenty years. Rumor has it that he was bound to some sorcerer in India. I did, however, meet him a long time ago, when I received one feather; twelve inches, made of eucalyptus. A very strange wand, which I believe will be most powerful for combative spells."

Harry held the wand and gave it a wave. He saw many colors burst out of the wand and swirl together. Among those colors, red, orange, and black were the brightest. "It feels… right," Harry said, hoping Ollivander would let him purchase it.

"Yes… you must be a very powerful wizard to have been chosen by such a wand, Mr. Andrews. However, due the rarity of this wand, it is very pricey."

"That won't be a problem," Harry said firmly

"Good, then there is only one more matter to handle. I must register this wand, but you see, I cannot do that for you yet, Mr. Andrews, or should I say…"

The old wand-maker whipped out his own wand at a frightening speed. _Finite Incantatem! _

"… Mr. Potter. As you must recall me saying, I recall every wand I ever sold. I also know that no French wand-maker uses phoenix feathers. I suggest you explain yourself," said Ollivander in a deathly calm voice.

"I'm afraid I can't do that, sir" said Harry, using his new wand to petrify Ollivander. "I'm sorry, you don't deserve this, but it must be done. _Obliviate!_

Harry removed the memory of the wand being sold and made to exit the shop. Harry felt sorry for the Ollivander, so he left him nearly twice the amount of gold he was planning to charge for the wand. Harry reapplied his disguise and left the shop, his emotions a mix of excitement that he could now use a wand without ministry detection, and sadness that he attacked Ollivander, who had helped him find a great wand his first year.

Harry walked past Quality Quidditch Supplies, deciding he would take a look for Ron's sake. Displayed in the window, Harry saw many brooms, including a Firebolt. Harry started at one end, reading and comparing all of the statistics. So far the Firebolt was best in the areas that mattered most to a Seeker; top speed, acceleration, and maneuverability. However, when he got to the middle of the section, he came face to face with a long, sleek broom with a lightning bold running down its beautiful shaft. Harry made to inspect the statistics, and was very impressed with what he saw.

_Nimbus Lightning Strike 5000_

_This state of the art racing broom is designed for professional Seekers. With an acceleration of 75 mph a second and a top speed of 300 miles per hour, it blows away all competition! No broom has ever been made that can rival the Lightning Strike 5000's speed. But that's not all! Not only is this THE fastest broom every made, it is specially designed to be extra responsive, able to make inhumanly quick turns to aid your pursuit of the Snitch._

_WARNING: This broom is only to be used by professionals who have a mastered the art of controlling their broom. Please do not push the broom to its top speed until you are completely comfortable with its extreme agility. _

"Bloody hell," Harry croaked, sounding very much like Ron. Harry looked at the broom again and turned to look at the Firebolt. There was no comparison; while the Firebolt was still one of the best brooms out there, the Nimbus Lightning Strike 5000 blew it away. It even looked better cosmetically, the golden lightning bolt trailing down the elegant black rod. Harry knew that he _had_ to have this broom. Normally he wasn't concerned with material possessions, but he loved flying at high speeds, and by Merlin, three hundred miles per hour! What did it matter that the price was twenty times that of the Firebolt. Sirius would have wanted Harry to have it, and Harry couldn't think of a better way to spend the money he received from his godfather.

"I'd like to purchase a Nimbus Lightning Strike 5000, please," Harry said to the store clerk.

The store clerk looked at him as if he were a stray dog. "Do I look stupid to you? Go on, get outta here!" he said angrily, proceeded to mumble something about stupid teens and their pranks.

"I am serious," Harry said firmly, looking the man straight in the eye. "I have to money to purchase this broom, and I plan to do so. If you don't want to sell it to me, I suggest you call the manager."

"Uhh…" The clerk was obviously not sure what to do

"I'm waiting. Your manager won't be happy to know you blew a 5000 sale." The one thing Harry hated was when people treated him like a child.

"Yes, I suppose… I must ask for you to show me the money before…"

Harry sighed and said, "Twenty thousand galleons." He reached into his bag and started stacking the gold on the clerk's counter. "There. Now let me have the broom."

"Are you sure you wish to purchase this broom… read the warning… professionals only… dangerous-"

"Yes!" Harry said angrily, snatching the broom and leaving the shop, leaving a flustered clerk behind him.

Harry used his key to take him home, and rushed out to the Quidditch pitch, bursting in excitement to try out his new broom. He ripped off the wrapping and mounted it. With a strong kick he found himself zooming upward. The broom reacted to his slightest touch, zooming off in whichever direction Harry pointed it in. He imagined himself following an elusive Snitch as he flew around the pitch, the breeze buffeting his face. As he grew more comfortable with the Lightning Strike, he imagined the Snitch becoming more and more elusive and fast, and Harry pushed himself through hair pin turns, loops, spirals, and dives. Harry then zoomed high enough to see all of Potter Manor, taking in the view. _This is amazing!_ Harry thought. A wicked grin flashed across his face and he thought about what he was going to do next. He was a bit terrified of trying that trick on _this_ broom, but he made himself remember his family motto.

"AHHHHHH" he screamed as he plummeted down as fast as he could. His stomach was screaming at him to pull the nose of his broom up, but his hands were frozen. The wind in his face was almost blinding as he reached the top speed. When got to the point where he could see each individual blade of grass, he ripped the nose of his broom upward, pulling out of the dive just quick enough to allow his fingers to touch the grass but not collide with it. "They weren't lying about the responsiveness…" Harry muttered. His heart was beating rapidly in his chest, pumping burning adrenaline through his veins. It took a full ten minutes for Harry's body to calm down and realize he was no longer zooming towards a certain death at three hundred miles per hour.

He realized with a groan that he had been out there for nearly three hours. The Order meeting would be beginning in ten minutes! He ran into the kitchen, asking Madee to fix him a quick sandwich. Harry thanked his house-elf thoroughly, then quickly ate the sandwich and grabbed his invisibility cloak. With the cloak covering his body, he transported himself directly into the room where the Order was meeting. Sure enough, he saw all of the Order members there, except Mrs. Weasley who was in a shouting match with Fred and George.

"I DO NOT CARE THAT YOU'RE OF AGE! IM YOUR MOTHER AND YOU WILL NOT BE JOINING THE ORDER," Mrs. Weasley yelled fiercely, looking more like a saber tooth tiger than a kindly mother.

Mr. Weasley stood next to her looking very conflicted. Harry knew that he was devoted to his wife, but he was also secretly quite proud of the twins. When their mother was scolding them, their father was secretly proud of their ingenuity and inventive spirit. "Molly! Boys! Calm down!"

Fred and George, looking angry and mutinous, ignored their father. "Mum, we can help the Order, and we want to! It's OUR choice now!" one redhead said, which Harry guessed was Fred. George also didn't break eye contact with their mother. "We are adult wizards; you can't keep us from joining. As it is we should have been able to join last year…"

"You are my children and I absolutely will not be letting you put yourself in danger. It is OUT of the question," Mrs. Weasley vehemently said.

Now everyone looked at Mr. Weasley knowing that he would be the deciding factor in the argument. He sighed. The last argument like this was allowing Charlie to go off to Romania to train dragons. When he sided with Charlie, his wife hadn't spoken to him for a week. "Molly, I think we need to make a compromise. We will let them join the Order, but we will ask that they be given no missions."

"Arthur! They must not be allowed-"

"What bloody good is that!? We're adults and we want to help. We can't do that by sitting on our arses-"

"Molly! Boys!" Mr. Weasley said firmly. "Let's just see how this decision works for the next few weeks. I believe it is as fair a compromise as we will reach. We will discuss it later."

Mrs. Weasley stalked off to her seat in the meeting room and Fred and George began to mutter darkly to themselves. Harry was personally in favor of the twins getting in the Order. The Order needed all the help it could get, and Fred and George were brilliant when they set their mind to something. Plus, Harry thought acceptance into the Order should by judged by accomplishments and skills rather than age…

"Ahem. Let us begin the meeting," the voice of Dumbledore rang out, silencing the other members. His gaze lingered over the two newest additions to the Order, his eyes twinkling. "First, I would like to begin by asking if anyone has seen any sign of Mr. Potter."

After everyone had answered that there had been no "Harry-sightings", Dumbledore proceeded to ask the Weasleys their opinion. Harry groaned inwardly, praying they hadn't read Ron or Ginny's mail.

"They tell me they do not know where Harry is," said Mrs. Weasley coldly, wearing an accusing expression towards Dumbledore. It was a well known fact that she had been urging Dumbledore to remove Harry from his relatives.

Mr. Weasley added that they had not seen Harry's owl. Harry smiled at this comment, deciding to give his clever owl a few treats.

"Very well," Dumbledore said, looking old and worn. "We need to raise the number of people on lookout duty. It is imperative that he be found." Dumbledore proceeded to assign many different locations that needed to be monitored, all of which Harry memorized. "Severus, I take it from your silence that Harry has not been captured by the enemy?"

"No, the foolish boy hasn't gone and gotten himself killed," Snape sneered. "However, the Dark Lord has put out many Death Eaters to search for him. He wants to capture him very badly."

"Yes, I suppose he would." Dumbledore paused for a moment, clearly thinking hard, then said, "Is there anything else you wish to inform us of, Severus?"

Harry turned to his potions master, staring at his face, looking for anything that would give away what was he was thinking.

"Yes, the Dark Lord is setting plans in motion. Aside from the hunt for Potter, he has plans to eliminate certain figures in the Ministry. He is pleased with Fudge's bumbling incompetence, and selfish mindset. As you know, Amelia has been pushing for a vote of no confidence," Snape muttered, his face expressionless.

"I take it that it is necessary for her to go into hiding?" Dumbledore asked calmly

"Yes. She is not the only one being targeted," Snape said, pointedly looking at the redheads in the room, as well as Shacklebolt. "Everyone who is opposed to Fudge is being targeted."

"Oh no…" Molly muttered. Arthur put a comforting arm around her and said, "Albus, is Grimmauld Place still safe for us?"

"Yes, as far as I know. Severus, do you have anything else to add?" Dumbledore responded.

"Only that it is likely that I will be killed if you abruptly place Amelia in hiding right now…" Snape muttered darkly. As much as Harry hated Snape, he had to respect the fact that Snape had conveyed all of the information to Dumbledore. If Dumbledore was to randomly put Mrs. Bones in hiding right now, Voldemort would suspect Snape.

"That I understand, Severus," Dumbledore said, his eyes devoid of any twinkling. "Arthur, I would suggest you continue to go to work, but carry a Portkey to Headquarters at all times. I would suggest not making any trips to Diagon Alley either. Inform your children of the need to stay in headquarters for now, and Hogwarts when school begins. As for Amelia, I will set up a Portkey to her house. In the event of an attack on her home, we can port in to assist her. It is the best we can do, I believe."

The only other important event of that meeting was Snape's announcement that Malfoy Jr. had begun his Death Eater Initiation.

"He has used all of the Unforgivables save the Killing Curse," Snape said. "I believe the Dark Lord has plans for him at Hogwarts this year, as the last part of his test. I highly suggest you devise some plot to expel him."

Dumbledore's eyebrows came together in what Harry thought was a look of confusion. "Surely if I was to immediately expel him, it would raise suspicion…Why do you wish for me to do that?" the old man inquired.

"Because he is up to something Albus! Do not underestimate him;, he's as bad as his father. I do not know what his master has planned for him, which worries me. My guess is that he is there to spy on me and perhaps slip Potter or Weasley a Portkey. But he has tortured people! You must get this foolish notion out of your mind that everyone can be saved!" Snape shouted angrily. It was obvious that he was angered by the fact that Draco would be spying on him, but was there a hint of concern for Harry evident in his voice?

_Don't be ridiculous Potter, he just needs you alive so you can help him escape from his wretched life as a spy…_ Harry thought to himself.

"I will take all necessary precautions where Mr. Malfoy is concerned," Dumbledore said with a tone of finality. Harry inwardly sighed; Dumbledore never gave a straight answer.

Mrs. Weasley, as well as the angry potions professor, had no intention of letting Dumbledore get away with that statement. "Now Albus! I will not be sending my children to a school where you allow Death Eaters to run rampant in! You know Malfoy hates us, and we are targets, yet you will let him near my children! He should be in Azkaban, not Hogwarts!" This was the last straw in her mind. Dumbledore had refused to see reason where Harry was concerned, but how could he let someone capable of casting Unforgivables loose in Hogwarts?

Harry also agreed with Mrs. Weasley and Snape, and from the looks on the twin's faces, they did as well. Malfoy may be an annoying little ferret, but he was capable of ambushing Harry or one of Harry's friends. Harry resolved then and there that he would keep a very sharp eye on the Slytherin, and that he would hex first and ask questions later.

Arthur was next to speak. "Albus, if you allow Mr. Malfoy Jr. to return to Hogwarts, I shall have to make a complaint to the Board of Governors. It is time for you to listen to us. As parents, we absolutely will not allow our children to be in the same environment as someone who has tortured. You know perfectly well that the children have exchanged hexes multiple times. What if, in a fit of anger, he uses the Killing Curse? I believe he hates Harry enough to use it." Everyone's eyes now bore into the leader of the Order of the Phoenix, waiting to see his reaction.

"Arthur, I do not believe he hates Harry enough to use that curse. His hatred is a result of horrible parenting. I believe the time will come when he will realize what he is doing is wrong. We cannot give up on him and leave him to the mercy of Voldemort. Severus, you and I will watch him very carefully. I will not condemn him to a life of-"

"AND TELL ME, EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENS WHEN HE GETS HARRY KILLED? _THEN_ WILL YOU CONDEMN HIM TO THE LIFE HE HAS CHOSEN?" Mrs. Weasley's voice exploded, sounding very much like a real-life howler.

"Molly! He has not had any choice," Dumbledore said, his voice just slightly raised.

Remus Lupin finally entered the conversation, speaking with a sad but firm voice, "As sad as Draco's life may be, he is a danger to Harry. Last time, I wasn't able to realize who the traitor was, and not a day goes by when I don't feel guilty for not spotting who the traitor was. That WILL not happen this time. We know who Voldemort's spy is, and we must stop him _before_ the damage is done!"

Harry was touched by Lupin's statements; especially the one about feeling guilty for his parents' death. Harry then realized that Sirius's death must have been as hard on Lupin as it was on Harry. The Marauders were the brothers he never had, and now they were all lost to him. Harry felt guilt eating at him for not talking to him after Sirius died and Harry resolved to talk to him sometime.

"Let us at least wait until the beginning of the school year before making any decisions. It is possible that we may have more knowledge pertaining to young Mr. Malfoy's task. In any event, I promise you that I will have Mr. Malfoy under constant surveillance and will take every step I can to ensure your children's safety. If there is nothing left to discuss, then this meeting is over." Dumbledore spoke with such a strong tone of finality that everyone knew that they were dismissed. Harry could see Snape stalk off angrily, Lupin look gravely at Harry's headmaster, and Mrs. Weasley loudly express her displease at Dumbledore's decision to her husband.

Harry headed back to his manor and decided to let out some tension by trying out some wicked curses on some humanoid dummies. Harry charmed them to look like Draco Malfoy and decided to try out a 'Half-Blood Prince special' by the name of _Sectumsempra_.


	3. Chapter 3: Basic Training

3.Basic Training

Harry could hardly move after he was finished with his new exercise routine the next day. Those Muggle machines seemed fun at first, but by Merlin, that 'fun' turned to pain in a hurry! However, he knew that the results would be worth the pain, so he bore through it.

After he was finished, he began to work on practicing Occlumency. He was making progress in organizing his mind. He had placed all of his most private memories in the center of his mind, and surrounded that by memories he hoped no one would ever see; these memories though important would not hurt his survival if others were able to gain access. He managed to form the third wall, consisting of strong memories, but not too private ones, before he became mentally exhausted. According to the book, after he made all of his layers, he would still have to build mental walls in between each layer, like a fortified castle protected by many walls. The book estimated that a Legilimens who was as equally skilled as the Occlumens would only be able to penetrate the outer three or four levels. Harry decided his goal would be to make seven layers, so hopefully that would mean Voldemort would not be able to enter his three closest levels. Of course, that was assuming that it would be possible for Harry's Occlumency skill to rival Voldemort's Legilimency…

Next Harry wrote a letter to Lupin, asking to meet him in Sirius's room at noon tomorrow, and not to tell anyone. Harry promised to explain everything if Lupin would give him the chance. He decided that a good thing to do would be to tell Lupin about Potter Manor, and ask Lupin to come by once in awhile and train him. Lupin was a pretty sharp duelist and could teach Harry some nice moves, but more importantly, it would allow him to hopefully form a friendship with his father's friend. Harry realized that Sirius's death must have been equally hard on the shy marauder.

Next Harry began to read a book about Animagus transformation. Then Harry made the potion that would allow him to see if he had the potential to be an Animagus. He retrieved the ingredients from Potter Manor's Potion's lab, which Jonny said was installed because Lily was very skilled at Potions. The instructions said not to drink the potion alone, but Harry couldn't see why not. Harry quickly downed the potion and suddenly he was stalking through tall grass, hot sun beating down on his back. He approached a watering hole where he saw a small herd of antelope gracefully drinking. His body exploded into a motion, his four muscular legs propelling him forward, blood burning through his veins from the thrill of the hunt. The antelope ran fast, with amazing agility, but he forced himself forward, leaping gracefully, and latching his claws on the antelope's neck. He roared loudly, his mane gracefully blowing in the wind. He felt so alive; so strong.

Suddenly the scene changed. He was in a lively forest, with birds chirping and little animals happily scattering around. He was tall with four long graceful legs leading to four hooves. Harry instantly realized what he was. He strode over to a river and looked at his reflection, seeing a tall, proud stag with magnificent antlers and green eyes. When he looked into the pool he saw not only his reflection but the reflection of a beautiful doe on the other side of the river. With a graceful leap, he crossed the river, but the doe ran away. He gave chase, but the doe seemed to be running exactly as fast as he was. It felt different than when Harry was the lion, however. This time he was running joyously, with a smile on his face. The doe stopped abruptly when they reached a mysterious looking tree. He knew that something was wrong; his instincts were telling him so. He leaped in front of the doe to meet a large green snake slithering out of the tree. Harry charged at it, smashing his hoof down on the snake's head. The snake was slowly wrapping itself around his legs even as he tried to fight back. After his four ankles were wrapped, the snake reared its head, preparing to sink its poisonous fangs into the stag's neck. Harry slammed his antlers as hard as he could onto the snake's head, buying him time to free up one hoof, which he promptly used to stamp on the snake's neck right below its head. He could feel the snake thrashing wildly, unable to breathe, but he didn't lift his hoof. Just as the snake seemed ready to give up, every muscle in the snake's body contracted, causing his head to thrash violently, he pushed his hoof down as hard as he could, but the snake still managed to sink his fangs into his calf. A terrible pain shot through Harry, but the pain of the bite was overwhelmed by the great feeling of contentment that washed through him. The snake had stopped moving, and he ambled over to the doe, who had tears forming in her eyes. He nuzzled her nose, no tears falling down his face, even as the poison flowed closer to his heart. This was a happy moment, he thought, looking at the doe. He had done his duty as the stag. This time, he had managed to save the doe.

Then the scene changed and Harry found himself enveloped with bright, blazing light. Harry was sure he should have been blinded by it, but instead, he seemed to be part of it. He was surrounded by extremely bright flames and realized that the only place he could be was the sun. He flapped his wings, and suddenly he found himself surrounded by roaring flames. He went in to the flames, and entered a fiery vortex. He zoomed through the vortex, thoroughly enjoying the feel of flying. He kept flying faster and faster, until he was going so fast that he couldn't even see his surroundings. Suddenly, he slowed down and found himself flying over earth. It was raining and the sun was blocked by gray clouds. He looked up towards a very small sliver of sunlight and began to sing. As his musical trill rent the air, the melody bringing courage and joy into his heart, a brilliant beam of sunlight broke through the clouds. He kept singing, louder and louder, until the clouds were dissolved under pure golden light. A rainbow broke through the gloom and Harry flew along the bright blue sky.

Harry awoke from his trance, feeling completely unaware of his surroundings. It was a few minutes before he regained the ability to walk. After all, he had just traveled at the speed of light! _How was that possible?_ Harry wondered to himself. _How was ANY of that possible? Surely I cant have THREE forms; one of which is a phoenix?_ However, as bewildered as he was, he was bursting with excitement. _That was amazing!_ he thought. He felt such power in him when he was the lion, like he was a king. He was immensely glad that one of his forms was a stag; it was the perfect tribute to his father. Harry decided his nickname would be Prongs Jr. as soon as he perfected the transformation. But the sensations of being a lion or stag were nothing compared to Harry's joy as he hurtled through the fiery vortex. He loved flying, but being a phoenix took flight to a much higher level.

Harry read the book over and over before he began the first step. He decided to work on the lion first, since he figured it would be the easier than the phoenix and stronger in a fight than the stag. He drew up a mental image of the magnificent lion, spending nearly an hour memorizing every single characteristic. He then proceeded to the next step, which was to wandlessly transfigure your hand into the hand of the animal. According to the book, two things made Animagus transformation impossible for most wizards; it required a high level of skill in Transfiguration and an aptitude for wandless magic. Harry believed he was good enough in Transfiguration, but he had no control over wandless magic. Still, if Peter could do it…

After a quick lunch, Harry went to his library to research wandless magic. He decided to first have a look in _Tome of Shadows_ and then if that failed he would plow through the other books in his library. Harry truly hoped the 'Prince' could supply him with the answer. He first read the section titled _Advanced Spell Casting_.

He flipped through the pages, scanning for anything related to wandless magic. He finally found a paragraph that seemed helpful. At first, it discussed non-verbal spells, and how those with a certain strength of mind could cast most spells by simply thinking them. Harry resolved to study that as well, as mentally casting spells had many advantages. It would give the opponent less time to counter the spell because they wouldn't see it coming. Also, one could cast spells in rapid succession mentally once they mastered the technique. In Harry's case, it would help because Animagus transformation was a mental spell.

Then Harry found what he was looking for about wandless magic. Each wizard had a magical core that they channel into their spells through their wand. In ancient times, there were no wands, but there was evidence of magic being used, so that led to the conclusion that wands were not necessary for wandless magic. The book listed the steps that the Half-Blood Prince used to perfect his wandless magic. He began by repeatedly casting a simple spell with a wand until he could feel exactly the path the magic took flowing from his core to the focal point of his wand. Slowly, the focal point of the spell had to be moved to a finger.

Harry went up to his training room with the dummies and decided to practice with Stunning Spells. His stunners performed with a wand were pretty powerful, so that seemed like a good place to start. Soon he was able to stun the dummy simply by thinking _Stupefy_, so he decided to attempt the wandless stage. He pointed his hand at the dummy and yelled the incantation, trying to imagine his hand as the wand, but nothing happened. He tried a few more times with no result. He felt a tingle inside of him when he said the incantation, but had no idea how to send the magic through his fingertips.

Frustrated, he stomped off to go for a quick fly. He flew up as high as he could, until he could see all of Potter Manor in a bird's eye view. He found the place calming and he sat on his broom thinking. He thought back to the times he did accidental magic, realizing that those feats were done wandlessly. First, he magically kept his hair in the same style as his father's. That was probably wandless magic of some kind, as he believed he wasn't a Metamorphagus. He decided to test his theory by changing his hairstyle again, and sure enough, he had no problem changing his hair. He changed it over and over, memorizing the feel of his magic flowing through his hair. Simply by willing his hair to change, his magic made it happen.

Harry zoomed down, deciding to give stunning the dummies another shot. He filled his mind with the desire for the dummy to be stunned, and willed his magic to flow from his fingertips. He was rewarded with a sliver of red shooting from his fingertips towards the dummy. It was much weaker than when he used a wand, but it was certainly an improvement. He tried it again and again, but the results were a bit erratic. Sometimes he managed a weak jet of light, and sometimes nothing would shoot out of his hand. Finally, he realized that he was exhausted from all of the wandless casting. The book said that wizards of a certain caliber could get to the point where their wandless spells would be no more taxing than a spell performed with a wand, but Harry certainly wasn't at that level. And from the extremely sloppy handwriting that paragraph was in, Harry guessed the Half-Blood Prince never perfected the art of wandless magic. Still, being able to cast even a weak Stunner or Shield Spell could save your life if you were disarmed. Harry decided to set aside some time every day for practicing that field of magic.

Harry's thoughts wondered back to this 'Prince' character. He certainly seemed very knowledgeable in magic, and Harry hadn't even read the whole book yet. From his extensive knowledge in dark magic as well as his title 'Half-Blood', there was one obvious answer to who he could be. Voldemort may have considered himself a prince due to being the heir of Slytherin… But from what Harry knew of Voldemort, hardly anyone knew that he was a half-blood and his Death Eaters believed he was a pure-blood. Why would he openly title himself a half-blood when he had taken steps to ensure that no one find out about his heritage? Since Harry had no way of finding out who the owner of the book was, Harry decided to continue to use it. So what if it belonged to Voldemort? It had taught Harry much more than any professor ever had, and if he was to defeat Voldemort, surely knowing the spells in Voldemort's extensive repertoire would help him…

Harry's mind was taken off of the Dark Arts as Hedwig gracefully flew to his side, depositing a letter in his lap. He noticed Ginny's familiar signature and hastened to open the letter.

_Dear Harry,_

_I managed to find out that the twins have been admitted to the Order. I made them tell me everything. Let's just say that I've seen 14 years worth of things that they would rather not have Mum know about…_

_Anyway, Mum's in a right state worried about you. I know it's not your fault, but could you maybe send her a letter or something telling her you are fine? With all of the Death Eaters out for you, the plots to attack Dad, and us going to school with that ferret, she's been in a pretty bad state. When we are around her she puts on the appearance that everything is fine, but when no one is looking, you can tell that she's not ok. She has even taken to carrying the clock with her when she goes from room to room. Oh yeah, she added a hand for you. You know that she thinks of you as a son, so could you tell her that you're in a safe place?_

_Everyone is also on edge because of our git of a brother Percy. As you probably have heard, there is a vote of no confidence brewing for Fudge. Percy is Fudge's stupid note-taker and Dad burst into his office and snatched a copy of his notes. Dad was furious after he read them. I don't know what they said, but I'm guessing the prat's accounts of Fudge's affairs are extremely biased. Anyway, Dad confronted the git about Fudge's actions last year, but Percy won't admit he was wrong. Percy has been doing all he can to save Fudge (so he doesn't lose his job) and in doing so, he insulted Dad. I don't know what he said, but when Dad got home he marched over to the clock and was about to blast Percy's stupid face clean off of the clock. Mum stopped him, but everyone in the house is very emotional right now. _

_Love, _

_Ginny _

_PS: Professor Lupin and Tonks have finally become an item! I didn't mean to eavesdrop, but by the sound of it, Lupin was trying to convince her that it couldn't work because he is an old, dangerous werewolf, but Tonks went ahead and snogged him. They haven't told anyone yet. It's wonderful! This is the first time I've seen Lupin smiling since he became the last Marauder…_

Harry finished the letter, shocked at what he was reading. _Mrs. Weasley added me to the clock?_ he thought, incredibly touched at the fact that she would do that; that made him feel incredibly guilty for leaving Mrs. Weasley in the dark about everything. With Dumbledore, Harry couldn't care less, but Harry did owe Mrs. Weasley _something_. Thinking back on his time spent at the Burrow, Harry realized that he had been treated like family all along, ever since he arrived in Mr. Weasley's flying car. It truly hurt him to hear that Mrs. Weasley was in such a state. Getting out a quill and a piece of parchment, he began to write her a letter. He couldn't tell her everything, since she was notorious for thinking her children were still _children_, but she deserved to know that he wasn't in danger or anything.

_Dear Mrs. Weasley_

_I heard about how you added a hand for me on your family clock. I can't say how much that means to me. As you have probably noticed, the hand on the clock should have me listed under 'home'. That is correct; I am in a very safe area. Please do not worry about me. I will be coming to headquarters on my birthday, so you will see me then. In the meantime, I'll allow Hedwig to remain at headquarters. _

_Once again, I assure you that I am having the best summer I have ever had, and I ask that you please not worry about me. _

_Safe and sound, _

_ Harry_

With that out of the way, Harry wrote two quick letters to Ron and Hermione, letting

them know he was fine.

The next day, after his usual exercise routine, Harry set off to Grimmauld Place to talk with Lupin. Harry sincerely hoped Moony believed Harry enough to not inform Dumbledore about their meeting. From Lupin's comments at the Order meeting, Harry believed he could trust him. The question was, would Lupin trust him _after_ their discussion…

Harry transported himself into Sirius's old room, finding himself face to face with a very confused ex-Defense Professor.

"Harry! How did you do that?" Lupin wore a bewildered expression on his face.

"Do you promise not to repeat any of this to anyone?" Harry asked, not beating around the bush.

Lupin paused, looking Harry straight in the eye. After a good bit of thinking, he answered, "I suppose so Harry. If I think it is absolutely necessary to inform someone, will you at least listen to my reason and consider it?"

That was a better compromise than Harry had expected to reach, so he nodded.

"Then I believe you have some serious explaining to do. I suggest you start at the beginning," Lupin said patiently.

Harry explained how he'd been rotting away in Privet Drive until he got summoned to Gringotts. He told Lupin about Potter Manor, which led to him ranting on about the many injustices Dumbledore had done to him. It turned out that Lupin was told the general gist of the prophecy by Harry's father, who was informed of it by Dumbledore. Lupin remained silent as Harry began to talk about how he had to take the war into his own hands.

"… so do you understand why I had to escape from Dumbledore?" Harry asked Lupin, knowing that this was the crux of the conversation. If Lupin couldn't respect that Harry was no longer a child, Harry would have to take him off of the Potter Manor entry list.

"Harry, I simply don't know what is best right now. A part of me wants to tell you to not worry about the war yet, and focus on enjoying school. But another part of me is impressed with your determination and willpower. That part of me can relate to your disagreements with Dumbledore. Harry, I believe that one day you will destroy Voldemort. If you are certain that your path must deviate from your headmaster, then so be it. Whatever you choose, I'll help you with it if you want."

Lupin cursed mentally. Why should the job of killing Voldemort be thrust on Harry's shoulders? Why should he be forced into adulthood at the age of sixteen? Lupin was at first expecting Harry to have run off because he wasn't thinking straight due to Sirius's death. But when he heard James's son speak with such a maturity and determination… that made him sound older in some ways than James…

"You mean you actually understand?" Harry inquired.

"Yes, I do," Lupin said firmly. "I still would not support you joining the Order, and I do believe that at some point you will have to mend bridges with Dumbledore, but for now I understand that you need to do things your way. I have recently had quite a few disagreements with Dumbledore myself… Last time, we all allowed him to singularly orchestrate the war. This time, it is your war, Harry. As much as I want to shelter you from it, that would be the wrong decision."

"Thanks, Moony," Harry said contentedly. That had gone a lot better than he expected.   "Not a problem. I'm doing what I think Prongs would have wanted me to do."

Harry decided to change the direction of the conversation. "So… how have things been at Grimmauld Place?" he asked innocently.

"Well, the Order is going crazy trying to-"

Harry chuckled. "I don't care about _that_… Are you sure there haven't been any other… recent developments?"

"I don't know what you're on about Harry. I suppose you mean Fred and George getting-"

Harry chuckled louder, thoroughly enjoying embarrassing the marauder. "Ah… good. Then I assume Tonks is still single? That's nice, I was planning on asking her out-oof" Harry was cut off by Lupin playfully thwacking him alongside the head.

"How the blazes did you know? Is this some benefit of owning the house? You have a constant surveillance system?" Lupin asked incredulously.

Harry smiled evilly at Lupin and waited a few seconds to answer. "Maybe."

Lupin was a sharp wizard, and was going to get to the bottom of Harry's information source. "A surveillance system by the name of… Ginny Weasley?"

Harry stood there stunned as Lupin quickly took the upper hand in the conversation. In response to Harry's spluttering Lupin remarked that he had seen Ginny looking at him knowingly earlier today. "…But Harry, it would seem you have been corresponding with the youngest Weasley more than Ron. Is there anything I should know about?" Lupin now wore the wicked grin.

"Of course there's nothing going on-"

"- Of course I have known it would happen, there certainly is something with Potters and redheads…" Lupin said, cutting through Harry's indignant spluttering.

After they were done with their verbal jousting, Harry asked Lupin if he would teach him defensive magic and how to duel. Lupin agreed to the first, but for dueling, he suggested that Tonks teach Harry. She was an Auror, and quite a good one at that, whereas Remus was more of a researcher. Harry figured it would be a good idea; if Lupin trusted Tonks, then so would he. As far as Order members went, Harry thought Tonks was one of the better ones.

After returning to Potter Manor, he began his training schedule; an hour of Occlumency, wandless magic, Transfiguration practice, followed by practicing spells from _Tome of Shadows_. Starting tomorrow, he would add an hour of defensive magic with Lupin and an hour of dueling with Tonks. While it was exhausting, Harry was driven by the fact that if he wanted to be treated as an adult he couldn't be a scrawny child who couldn't hold his own in a duel.

The next morning he came in from his exercises to find Lupin sitting at his breakfast table. "Ahh, this always was my favorite house. Sirius and I used to love coming here for summer vacation," Lupin said, lost in memories past. "I remember when James flew you around the Quidditch pitch and Lily found out and gave James quite an earful."

"Err… Thanks," Harry said, not knowing what to say to Lupin's memories. "Do you know where the training room is?"

"Yes, I do," Lupin answered and they walked to the room. "I think it would be a good idea to teach you how to set up sentry wards. They are simple wards, easy and quick to place once you get the trick."

"I haven't heard of them. What do they do?" Harry inquired.

"What they do is alert you if anyone who isn't on an approved list breaches a certain line," Lupin answered. "For example, you could place one around the Gryffindor bedroom that will make a loud noise if anyone crosses that line. You then can charm it to allow certain people to enter without it sounding."

"Hrmm, so basically I will be alerted if Malfoy comes in my room?" Harry said.

"I won't ask how you got your information… but yes, that is the general gist. If he ventures into your room while you are away and don't hear the noise, the ward will record his name and it will appear when you return. It won't stop anyone from entering; you will need a lot of practice before you can do that."

"Ok, that sounds like a good idea."

"In the future, I will teach you how to set up stronger wards, but for someone with no experience in ward construction, this one should be challenging enough."

After an hour of learning the sentry ward, they had a quick lunch and Lupin asked if he wished to invite Tonks for a dueling lesson. Harry added her name to the entry list, and Lupin brought her to Potter Manor.

"Wotcher Harry," Tonks said amiably, today wearing maroon hair.

"'Lo Tonks. Welcome to Potter Manor," Harry said to the eccentric Auror. "So… how has Potter lookout duty been going?"

Tonks chuckled. "Can't say it's been going well; I would have had more time alone with Remus if you hadn't run off." That caused both Remus and Harry's faced to go a bit pink. Harry had forgotten how open Tonks was. Even when he followed her comment about Lupin with some good-natured teasing, Tonks didn't get a bit embarrassed. To the contrary, it was the two males who ended up wanting to change the topic of the conversation.

"So I hear you need to learn how to fight?" Tonks asked.

"Yeah. After what happened in the Department of Mysteries… well, I need to be able to hold my own better," Harry said, grimacing as the thought of Bellatrix's mocking of his spells.

"And I don't suppose you would let us tell you that you don't need to be fighting yet?" Tonks asked, with a look that told him that she knew perfectly well what the answer would be.

"No, I wouldn't," Harry said simply. "Every year I have been in life-threatening situations, and we both know that this year is going to be the most dangerous of all. Dumbledore hasn't been able to keep me and my friends safe in the past, and as Moony pointed out, he wasn't able to protect my parents either."

"How did…never mind…" they both spluttered, shocked that Harry had overheard Lupin's statement.

"I have my ways…" Harry said slyly. He then took on a serious look. "So do you promise to keep everything a secret? Especially from Dumbledore?"

Tonks and Lupin looked at each other. Lupin nodded gently and then Tonks said, "You have my promise, Harry. However, I would strongly urge you to communicate with Dumbledore at some point. While you may not appreciate some of the decisions he made for you, you will need his help at some point. You can't battle the old snake alone; you will need the Order to help you with the Death Eaters. You two will have to come to some sort of understanding sooner or later, and the way I see it, it might as well be sooner."

"That I understand, Tonks," Harry said, groaning at the thought of meeting his headmaster. He knew deep inside that it would be necessary, but he hoped it could wait until he returned to Hogwarts. "I do respect him and I recognize that he is one of the greatest wizards in the world. It's just that he believes his power and intelligence gives him the right to tamper with other peoples lives."

Lupin decided to come into the conversation at this moment. "Then it is settled. We will train you the best we can and we will not tell Dumbledore. However, you will accept our guidance and advice on certain issues," he concluded firmly, but contentedly.

Tonks nodded and asked, "Should we begin then?" After Harry nodded, they went to the training room. "Actually, there are two things we need to work on. Lupin said you wanted to be a force to be reckoned with in situations like last year, so I went over the memories I had of the fight. From what I could see, no offense, but you lacked stamina and agility. If you had been able to dodge more spells, then you could have spent less time casting shields and more time using offensive spells. So one thing I will be teaching you martial arts. It will help you a lot and give you an advantage because hardly anyone learns it these days."

Harry nodded, surprised that he would be learning martial arts, but excited nonetheless. If Dudley's movies were accurate, Harry could see how it would be useful. "What's the other thing?"

"The other thing is that we need to work on your precision and accuracy with spells. To do that, I will enchant a dummy to move, and you will have to hit it as many times as you can in a minute using a simple spell. In a duel, contrary to what many people believe, you do not _swap_ hexes. You don't cast one, then give your opponent a shot… you get my drift. If in the time the opponent can get off five spells, you are able to shoot ten accurate spells, the fight will probably swing in your favor."

"Sounds fun," Harry said evenly. Harry had never thought about dueling that way, and he couldn't wait to get started. In a situation where he was surrounded by Death Eaters, he would need those skills.

They started working on martial arts, beginning with meditative and stretching techniques from Tai Chi. After that Tonks instructed him on the basics of Wing Chun. For all her clumsiness, Tonks was quite good at martial arts. She seemed perfectly in balance and completely in control. Harry felt sorry for Moony should he ever get on her bad side…

Harry was sweating profusely by the time he finished his lesson. Tonks chuckled at him pointing out that he needed a shower. _Bloody hell, this martial arts stuff is exhausting… what did I get myself into this time_, he thought, realizing he was in for a tough summer break.

When they resumed their lesson, Tonks instructed Harry to see how many times he could hit a dummy's chest with a Stunner in a given time period. He decided to try it non-verbally, his mind filled with cries of _Stupefy!_, his wand working furiously. While jets of light were shooting out of his wand rapidly, by the end of the minute he was out of breath and his casting was slowing down. After a break, he returned to his practice, this time managing to keep his pace up for a full minute.

"Well done, Harry," Tonks praised. "You are already pretty quick with the wand. Tomorrow we will have you alternating Stunners, Blasting Hexes, and Disarming Charms. Eventually you will need to get to the point where you can rapidly cast your full repertoire of spells against multiple moving targets for a long period of time."

Harry began to look downtrodden, if a minute of Stunning Spells left him this tired, how the blazes would he be able to do what Tonks was asking? Tonks seemed to pick up on his thoughts from his expression, and said, "Don't worry, you will get there. It may take years of training, but you do have the potential to get there. What I described isn't easy and hardly anyone can get to that level. To tell you the truth, I certainly never got that good, and I have been practicing for years."

"But if it's so hard to do, then how will I be able to manage it…" Harry muttered.

"You will be able to because you're a damn good wizard. Your work today was as good as that of the average adult wizard. Soon you will be better than me, and if you stick with it for a few years, I wouldn't be surprised if you could give Dumbledore a run for his money," Tonks said reassuringly. She wasn't lying when she said she was impressed by Harry's abilities. Remus was understating when he said the kid had potential.

"Th-thank you," Harry concluded, unsure of what to say. He still had trouble seeing himself as being able to rival Dumbledore, especially after what he had seen Dumbledore do in the Ministry, but Harry trusted Tonks.

"No problem kiddo, see you tomorrow then?"

"Yeah, that'll work," Harry replied.

As Harry waved goodbye to Lupin and Tonks, he realized how well they had both reacted to the news of his recent exploits. Harry resolved to get to know both of them better as they visited Potter Manor over the summer.

On the topic of relationships with friends, Harry was at a loss over what to do about Ron and Hermione. He had received twin letters, both urging him to return from hiding. Hermione was convinced he was unhinged from Sirius's death and was running away from life because he was in a state of denial. Ron was miffed because he thought Harry no longer wanted to be his best mate. It was slightly reasonable that they would believe that, mainly because Harry had not explained what he was up to. Should he explain what he was up to? He had planned on waiting until Hogwarts started, but they didn't seem like they would be able to wait that long. Harry did value their friendship, in fact, he considered them like brother and sister. But then why wasn't he including them in his plans? Because they were immature? Because they placed too much faith in professors? They were guilty of those charges, but perhaps Harry was guilty of being too hard on them. If they had a problem, it wasn't the right thing to leave them hanging until they solved the problem themselves.

A plan began forming in Harry's mind of how he could tell them enough information to alleviate their concerns, and then slowly help them grow up. He began by writing them each letters that would hopefully stop them from thinking he was consumed by negativity. He first told them he was staying at a well protected house that Sirius had talked about in his will. He told them he was training to defeat Voldemort and his Death Eaters. He had to do this because Dumbledore refused to realize that he was a major part of the war. Hell, Dumbledore's attitude was nearly as bad as Umbridge's in that aspect… "Now Mr. Potter, why on earth would you need to be _using defensive spells?_" Harry shuddered at the memory of Umbridge's voice, dripping with honey, about as sweet as acid. Well perhaps Dumbledore wasn't that bad, but the analogy should drill the point into his friends' heads. Harry had gotten quite good at listing the many faults of his headmaster, having listed them so many times already. Harry then made them promise not to tell Dumbledore anything. That would be a good test of loyalty, he thought. If they didn't tell a soul, Harry would trust them with more, and even if they did tell someone, it would only save Harry from having to tell the headmaster at the beginning of the term.

Harry, deciding to take his mind off of friends and letters, went to finish up his daily training routine. His Occlumency was getting better, he had four layers constructed so far, and he guessed if he kept it up, he would be able to move on to the stage of building the mental walls soon enough. His wandless abilities hadn't got much better. Today he practiced wandlessly levitating a feather, but it did not rise smoothly like it should have. It pulsed up and down erratically. After nearly an hour of practicing, he decided to come back to it tomorrow. The real excitement, however, was in his Animagus practice. He had managed to grow some golden fur on his hands and forearms. He looked ridiculous, but progress was progress… Hopefully soon he would be able to transform a hand into a paw.

And so, for the next three weeks that's how Harry Potter lived, alone in Potter Manor training like a man possessed. Well, not completely alone, he told himself. Ginny had visited a few times and he took the afternoon off to show her his house and race around the Quidditch pitch, letting her use his Firebolt. Lupin and Tonks also came over regularly to help him train. If it wasn't for the fact that those three visited him, and that Hedwig often brought letters from the Weasleys and Hermione, he thought he probably would have gone insane. But that wasn't the case; this summer was shaping up to be the best one yet. He had improved a lot in his sessions with Tonks and Lupin, now able to hold his own against either one in a duel. His morning exercise was getting easier, and he felt stronger, more aware of his movements. Those exercises also combined nicely with his martial arts training. He could feel new muscles building up inside of him, probably augmented by the fact that he was getting nice, balanced meals. He still had around a month left before school, and Harry believed he would be a whole different person by then. In short, life was, for once, looking up, and Harry felt good about it because _he_ had created his good fortune, by hard work and a bit of boldness. It hadn't fallen from the sky, or been granted by Dumbledore. He hadn't asked for these changes in his life, he had taken them.

Of course, Harry was feeling especially chipper this morning, because it was his sixteenth birthday, and he was going to spend it in Grimmauld Place with the Weasleys, his favorite family in the world. Of course, Hermione, Lupin, and Tonks were also coming. Harry hardly ever said 'Lupin' without the 'Tonks' these days. Lupin was easy to embarrass with a little bit of teasing, but Tonks bluntly accepted his teasing and responded with details that made Harry the one who was coloring in the face.

Harry popped into Grimmauld Place, but before announcing his arrival to the Weasleys, he removed Dumbledore's name from the entry list of Grimmauld Place, as well as some of the other Order members. It was his birthday and no well-meaning old meddlers were going to ruin that. After that business was taken care of, Harry walked up to Mrs. Black's portrait – the one no one could seem to remove from the wall. Harry quickly put a Silencing Charm around the room.

"GET OUT OF MY SIGHT, FILTHLY MAGGOT, INHABITING MY FINE HOUSE-" shrieked the portrait angrily. However the portrait was quick shut up as Harry drew the Black Family Key.

"I, Master of the Black House, command you to remove yourself from the wall," Harry said calmly, desperately hoping this attempt would work. If not, there was always the i Incendio Maximus /i Curse Harry had been itching to try out.

"YOU ARE NO MASTER OF THE MOST NOBLE AND ANCIENT HOUSE OF BLACK! YOU CHILD OF SCUM, I DEMAND YOU LEAVE MY HOUSE AND RETURN TO THE HOLE THAT YOU CAME FROM. HOW DARE YOU, ORDER i ME /i OUT OF MY OWN HOUSE…".

"Well, I tried…" Harry muttered. As he raised his new wand up to Mrs. Black's face, he was interrupted by Kreacher popping into the room, grumbling darkly, "The unworthy boy cannot undo Mistress, oh no he cant, I isn't allowing it."

Harry looked at Kreacher strangely, then remembered how house-elves had strange and powerful magic. The crusty, deranged house-elf must have been the one who kept the portrait on the wall. "Kreacher, I, your master, demand that you remove the portrait from the wall or CLOTHES!" Harry yelled the last word, hoping the threat of forcing Kreacher out of the house of his mistress would be enough motivation for Kreacher.

"Kreacher… won't listen… you not master…" Kreacher mumbled, shaking violently.

"You have to obey me! Stop holding up the portrait!" Harry shouted angrily.

"No… no… you wouldn't give Kreacher clothes, I is knowing you nasty little secrets."

"You have three options and I need you to choose in the next ten seconds. Stop using your magic to attach the portrait to the wall, leave the House of Black forever, or drop dead!" Harry was determined to have the portrait taken down. He didn't why the removal of the portrait was so important now, but he felt that Sirius would have been pleased to know his mother was no longer shrieking.

"Kreacher can't! Kreacher will die!" the ancient house-elf wailed.

Then suddenly he looked at the portrait one last time, and fell to ground, dead. As he did this, the portrait fell to the ground. Harry guessed that Kreacher was only sustained by the House of Black, namely Mrs. Black's portrait. Perhaps he somehow became dependent on the wretched portrait; he was, after all, older than any elf that Harry had seen. When he died, the magic that was holding up Mrs. Black must have failed. Harry shrugged muttering something about loony old house-elves. Hermione wouldn't be very happy with Harry, but Harry couldn't care less about the old house-elf. He had betrayed Sirius and had lived too long already, even by house-elf standards. Of course, he would have preferred that Kreacher chose to remove the portrait without dying, but Harry wouldn't shed any tears.

Harry popped into the living room and came face to face with Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, the twins, Ron, Ginny, Hermione, Lupin and Tonks. All besides Lupin, Tonks, and Ginny were sitting there shocked at seeing Harry randomly visualize before there eyes.

Hermione responded first, just as Harry expected her to. "How did you do that? You can't App-"

Luckily Harry was saved by Ginny shouting, "Happy Birthday, Harry!" She smiled and gave him a hug. Harry shot her a grateful look, as the others also wished him a happy birthday. For some strange reason, Harry seemed reluctant to let go after their hug had ended.

Mrs. Weasley crushed him into a "Weasley hug", but this time, she couldn't comment on how thin he was. Harry chuckled, letting her know that he had indeed been taking care of himself this summer.

Hermione also seemed to have forgotten her questions, although Harry knew perfectly well she would start up again as soon as she could. She gave him a hug, and wished him well, although Harry could practically hear the wheels in her brain hard at work.

After greeting Ron and the twins, Mrs. Weasley began handing out slices of treacle tart, one of Harry's favorite deserts.

After some small talk about Quidditch with Ron, Mrs. Weasley asked him what he had been up to this summer.

Harry thought it over for a minute, deciding what to tell them. After organizing this party for him, how could he keep them in the dark? He decided to tell them what he had told Ron and Hermione. He explained he was training and living in a place Sirius had told him about, and asked that they not tell Dumbledore. Harry believed they would respect his wish, but if they didn't, no real harm would be done.

"But Harry, couldn't you have waited for school to begin your training?" Mr. Weasley asked.

"Well, I just couldn't deal with the Dursleys any longer. So when I found out that I didn't have to, I left," Harry said quickly, hoping no one would ask where he went to.

"So where'd ya go?" Ron asked bluntly.

"Erm… I can't tell you guys yet," Harry said, groaning inwardly at the facial expressions he saw. Ron was looking indignant that his best friend wouldn't trust him. Hermione peered at him like an intricate puzzle that she was determined to solve. Mrs. Weasley looked disappointed and Mr. Weasley's expression was unreadable. Harry smiled when he saw Ginny's reaction. She was faking being angry at Harry so no one would know they had been talking. _And she looks incredibly cute when she's angry…_ Harry had no idea where that thought came from. Forcing himself to concentrate on the issue at hand, Harry said, "It isn't because I don't trust any of you. I do, more then I can say. It's just that Dumbledore has been trying everything he can to find out where I am, and I can't have that. I know you wouldn't tell him without my permission, but I wouldn't put it past Dumbledore to read it from your minds."

Most of the heads nodded, accepting Harry's explanation. Mrs. Weasley, however, was not too satisfied. "And why don't you trust Dumbledore? I know you are angry he put you in Privet Drive, and believe me, I have tried everything to make him see reason, but don't you think what you are doing is a little bit… extreme?" she asked concernedly.

Harry sighed, realizing he was going to have to repeat his anti-Dumbledore speech again. He hoped they would understand and come to the conclusion that he was growing up, but Mrs. Weasley had been known to "over-mother." While Harry truly appreciated the way she cared for him, this was something that she would need to accept.

After Harry finished, leaving out the parts concerning the prophecy, Harry looked around, trying to guess what each of them were thinking.

Mr. Weasley replied first, saying, "I understand Harry. While I may not agree, I will accept. May I advise you to-"

Harry chuckled, knowing what was coming. "Yes, I plan to talk to him when school begins."

Fred and George were the next to comment, "So basically this is one big prank on Dumbledore for the summer?" They were grinning.

"Yeah. I figured Sirius would be prefer I did that rather than stay in Privet Drive," Harry responded.

"Wicked…"

"O Brother of mine…"

"I think we have found…"

"Someone to carry on our legend at Hogwarts!" they concluded, causing Hermione to violently open her mouth.

However, Mrs. Weasley was quicker than Hermione when it came to scolding. "Boys! Don't you dare give Harry any suggestions; he will be in enough trouble already. If I find that you have been pestering him in any shape or form…" she said menacingly.

Lupin chuckled and remarked, "It looks like we have a new marauder on our hands. James would be proud, although Lily on the other hand…"

"Remus! You aren't helping…" said Mrs. Weasley, although she knew she was fighting a losing battle. She had been shocked when she learned that Sirius and Remus were among the men responsible for inspiring Fred and George.

Remus adopted a face of mock seriousness. He turned towards Harry placing his wand on Harrry's shoulder. "Now Harry, to be accepted into the marauders, you need a nickname. I suggest you get to work on becoming an unregistered Animagus." That caused Harry and Lupin to break out in laughter.

Unfortunately, this caused Hermione to finally burst. "Harry, you CAN'T be thinking of actually doing that, can you?" she asked waspishly.

"Erm… No, of course not Hermione. Why would I do something as illegal and dangerous as that? I think instead I'll just ask Lupin to bite me when the next full moon comes around," he said sarcastically.

"Harry! _I'm serious_, you-"

"No, you're Hermione," Harry said, winking at Lupin. This caused Lupin to break into stitches. Tonks caught on and muttered something negative about Harry's sense of humor.

"HARRY!" she shrieked, finally understanding the "Sirius/Serious" joke. "You can't become an Animagus without-"

Harry groaned. He would really have to work on getting Hermione to understand the Ministry was a joke… But for now, he decided to let her have her way. "Don't worry Hermione, I wont become an Animagus without McGonogall's approval." Luckily Hermione didn't catch the look he sent Remus. Harry hadn't told the werewolf about taking the Animagus Potion, but perhaps Lupin would have some helpful hints from watching the other Marauders work at it. Harry decided to attempt the transformation on his own first and if he desperately needed help, he would approach Lupin. That way he could break the surprises over time instead of all at once…

Finally, Mrs. Weasley told them to get started on the presents. Harry loved opening presents. It wasn't because of the material gain they represented, but because he loved the surprise. He loved feeling the wrapped gift in his hands, wondering what it could be. He loved how they symbolized that the giver cared for him.

He received from Ron a collection of chocolate frogs and a T-shirt with the name and number of the Chudley Cannons Seeker. Hermione gave him a rather large book on defensive magic. Fred and George gave him a large case full of Weasley Wizardly Wheezes merchandise, for him to put to good use in Hogwarts. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley gave him the hand on the clock, telling him he was a part of the family. Harry couldn't explain how the hand made him feel, but he could tell from the happy faces around the table that they knew. On a subconscious level, Harry had been on a quest for a family and a home all of his life. He didn't find it in the Dursleys, and just when the eleven-year-old Harry began to think of Hogwarts as home, Dumbledore required that he return to Privet Drive for the summer. Harry had briefly found Sirius, who Harry had come to love, but Sirius was taken from him. Harry realized that the Weasleys had been there for him all along, ever since his second year when he spent part of the summer at the Burrow. Harry knew he could never repay the Weasleys for accepting him into their family, nor did the Weasleys want repayment. However the one thing Harry knew he must do was to do his best to make sure all of the Weasleys survived to the end of the war. If he was family, then he wouldn't let any Death Eater touch a single red hair on any of their heads!

Harry was also surprised by Lupin's present. It was a slighty tarnished Golden Snitch, with the initials J.A.P. Harry stood there stunned, immediately recognizing the Snitch, flashes of his father showing off his incredible reflexes. "James Andrew Potter…" Harry mumbled, giving the Snitch a toss up in the air. It rocketed off to the right, but Harry's hand shot out towards it, grasping it tightly. "Th-Thanks Moony"

Lupin had a tear in his eye, brought from memories of his best friends. "I'm… he would have wanted you to have it," Lupin said sadly. Realizing he was being a bit gloomy, he decided to whisper a joke in Harry's ear. "Just make sure you don't play with it in front of the ladies, we wouldn't want a certain redhead to think you were a bit bigheaded now would we?"

Harry's cheeks turned beet red, extremely glad no one had heard Lupin's comments. "I'll get you back for that one…" he mumbled.

His last present was Ginny's, a small box wrapped in red. He opened it to find a sleek silver watch that fit his wrist elegantly. Looking at it closely, he saw four intricate gold engravings surrounding the face of the watch. They were of a lion, stag, dog, and wolf, each in one corner of the watch. Harry looked at it in wonder; he had never been interested in jewelry, but he couldn't deny that it looked great on his wrist.

"Thanks Ginny, I love it. It's the best watch I've ever seen," he said beaming at her. He realized it must have cost a lot too… He didn't want anyone to spend very much money on him… but he couldn't say anything, it was a brilliant, meaningful gift and he wanted Ginny to know that.

"I'm glad you like it, Harry. Happy sixteenth," Ginny said kindly, smiling at him. The truth of the matter was that she had been worried about whether or not Harry would like her gift. She had spent her savings on it, and if Harry didn't like it… Well, he did like it; in fact he said he loved it! And he seemed genuinely enthusiastic, so she knew he wasn't just saying it.

Lupin looked at the figures and said, "A lion? Harry? You're not a lion Animagus are you?"

_What? Oh, damn…_ Harry thought furiously wondering how in the world he was going to talk himself out of this one. And how the blazes did Ginny know? Was it just coincidence? He hadn't told a soul…

Harry was saved for having to create a lie or own up. "No, I was just choosing an animal for him because four figures fit better than three. I was deciding between a lion, phoenix, hippogriff or dragon, and I choose a lion because I think that's what Harry was most likely to be if he became an Animagus," Ginny said.

_Wow… talk about coincidence_, Harry thought. "I think it was a great choice; lions represent Gryffindor," he said, very relieved that no one was giving him piercing looks anymore.

Mrs. Weasley announced that they were going to take a trip to Diagon Alley for school supplies, and that they were to stick together and remain under the eyes of Remus and Tonks.

"Uhh… that's not really a good idea," Harry stated, thinking of how Dumbledore and Voldemort had people on the lookout for him. "Both Voldemort and Dumbledore are trying to nab me and no offense, but a family of red hair is too easy to spot."

"Well, Tonks and I are posted at Diagon Alley today, so we will have to be there anyway. Tonks was stationed there this morning as well."

Harry really didn't think that was a good idea, but when Tonks said she had checked Diagon Alley for any signs of Death Eaters, Harry supposed it would be okay. After all, it was his birthday! Surely a quick trip to Diagon Alley couldn't hurt. Anyway… it was true that if you stopped living because of fear of Voldemort, then he had already won, right?

"Well, as long as you guys are careful."

_A/N: Please review and let me know what you think!_

_Some of you thought the Obliviate scene did not fit well, so let me just explain a few things. First of all, I didn't think it was a great scene either, but I do think that it is possible for Harry to cast a Memory Charm. It may be a weak Memory Charm that only affects the last five minutes of their conversation, but if Lockhart can completely wipe the memory of grown wizards, then I think Harry can do the same. However, Memory Charms can be broken or I believe the victim can regain their memories over time, so there's always that possibility. _

_Also, keep in mind that in my story, Potter Manor, Grimmauld Place, and Hogwarts are all warded so that the Ministry cannot detect underage magic. In my story, the Ministry watches for Under-Age magic by keeping an eye on wands registered to Under-Age wizards and witches. So, as long as Harry's strange wand is unregistered, there will be no Ministry owls. _

_Last of all, in case you haven't guessed, this is H/G. I know that a lot of independent Harry stories contain some other pairings, but Savior in the Shadows is a H/G, R/Hr, Rl/T. I know Draco/Herm is fairly popular, but I don't do that. That does not mean Draco's love life will not be present in my story, it just won't be with Ginny, Hermione, or Luna. There will be no slash. There may be Snape relationships, but not with any students, and certainly not with Harry. _

_P.S: I'm sorry if anyone got the update message when there wasn't an update; I was having a problem with my computer. I should be getting back to posting a chapter a week now. _


	4. Chapter 4: The Beast Within

4. The Beast Within

After appeasing Ron's need to buy tons of sweets and Hermione's need to buy a ton of books, the group decided to walk to Quality Quidditch Supplies. Harry hid a smirk as Ron ranted on and on about the new Nimbus Lightning Strike 5000. The adults were keeping the group tightly packed and Lupin and Tonks were constantly scanning the shopping area for signs of Death Eaters. As they finished looking at brooms, they headed over to the Three Broomsticks for lunch. Harry thought he saw two suspicious looking people in an alleyway. Letting his curiosity get the better of him, he told the group he was just going to look at something, and snuck closer to the dark figures. They were muttering in hushed tones and finally one placed his wand on his forearm.

_Shit!_ Harry mentally screamed while sending a powerful Stunner towards the man. Unfortunately the damage was already done, because while touching his Dark Mark, all other Death Eaters were alerted to his presence. When the stunned man flopped over to the ground, Harry saw that it was Lucius Malfoy. The woman was the one person who Harry hated more than anyone alive, save Voldemort.

"Little Hawwys still getting into trouble… no godfather to die for you this time… _Crucio!_," he heard Bellatrix Lestrange croon in a sickly sweet voice.

Harry leapt to the side with surprising agility and quickly sent off a Stunning Spell at Bellatrix. Harry knew that she would block the Stunner, so he followed it with a powerful Slicing Curse aimed at her wand arm.

"You'll have to do better than that!" she snarled as her shield blocked the Stunner while she danced out of the way of the Slicing Curse. Bellatrix shot a purple colored spell at Harry, which Harry dodged.

"_Stupefy!_" he shouted, while mentally he screamed, '_Reducto!_.'

She dodged the Stunner, but Harry heard the Blasting Hex connect with her left arm.

Knowing he had the temporary upper hand, Harry began to cast a flurry of Stunning Spells, which Bellatrix managed to avoid with a combination of Shield Spells and dodges. Harry couldn't help but acknowledge that she was a good duelist. Bellatrix slashed her wand sideways, causing an arc of fire to shoot towards Harry. Not trusting an _Aguamenti_ or Shield Charm to hold of the flames, Harry ran to the side desperately, just barely avoiding the searing flames.

Harry realized that she was using spells that were potentially fatal and if he wanted to survive, he would have to do the same. Harry risked a glance back to his companions, wondering why no one had come to his aid against Bellatrix.

Harry heard a flurry of pops as a dozen Death Eaters popped into the street. Harry's friends formed a semicircle around him, but they were outnumbered two to one.

Harry was hit with Cutting Curse on his leg, while he made the mistake of taking his attention off of Bellatrix. Luckily it was nothing serious, but he knew that his friends were in trouble. He had to finish this duel now. "_Osteos Pulva_- huh?!"

Harry felt his wand flying out of his hand. He cursed as he saw that Wormtail had slipped behind his group of friends and disarmed him. He had never hated Wormtail more than at that moment.

"_Incarcerous!_ Bellatrix snarled in glee. "My Lord will enjoy killing you, Potter."

Harry could feel the ropes tightening around him. Bellatrix summoned Harry towards her, while whipping a Portkey out of her pocket. Harry struggled vainly, knowing what would happen if Bellatrix got her way. He tried to wandlessly counter Bellatrix's Summoning Spell, but his wandless magic only managed to slow his movement, not stop it. As adrenaline was shooting through Harry's veins, every cell in his brain thinking of some solution to the problem, he felt his hands change. In their place were two golden paws, with razor sharp claws. Realizing what he had to do, Harry slashed downward on the ropes, freeing himself from his bindings.

A look of surprise flashed across Bellatrix's face. Harry was flying towards her from her Summoning Spell. "_Stupe-_" Bellatrix was silenced as Harry's claw slammed into her throat. When he removed it, a jet of blood shot forth, staining Harry's shirt. Bellatrix's hands clasped her throat, trying in vain to stop her lifeblood from pouring out. Eventually she sagged against Harry, her blood still spouting from the hole in her neck. Her mouth was moving, but no words came out.

Harry could feel conflicting emotions surging through him. He pushed Bellatrix to the ground, and looked in horror at what he had done. Turning off to the side he vomited all over the ground. On the other hand, he could feel the lion in him telling him that he had conquered. Sirius was avenged and Harry had slayed the enemy. _No! You shouldn't have killed her!_ his mind screamed. Seeing his friends still in battle, he decided to put off his moral debate.

After transforming his blood soaked paws into hands, he quickly whipped out his old wand and stunned Wormtail. He summoned his other wand, just figuring it would be best to continue to use the wand licensed to John Andrews. Harry re-stunned Lucius Malfoy for good measure, then quickly measured the foes who his friends were facing. Tonks was holding her own against her aunt, Narcissa Malfoy. Ron, Hermione and Ginny were working together on Dolohov, Rookwood, and Crabbe Sr. Mrs. Weasley was facing Macnair, while Mr. Weasley was working on Goyle Sr. as well as Nott. Remus was defending desperately against Rodolphus Lestrange, Rosier, and one Death Eater who Harry didn't recognize.

Harry decided Lupin needed the most help, and Harry hit Rosier with a Stunning Spell. Just as the other Death Eater made a move to revive Rosier, Harry summoned both of their wands and snapped them. That freed up Lupin to duel Rodolphus fairly, but also gave away Harry's location. Narcissa shot a Rupturing Curse at Harry, which Harry managed to dodge. Harry moved to the side, hoping to draw some fire away from his friends. They were doing quite well, but they were getting worn down by the Death Eater's numbers. Nott turned his attention to Harry first, sending a jet of green light towards Harry. Harry had been planning not to use any 'Prince Curses' after what happened with Bellatrix, but if Nott wanted to escalate the conflict, Harry would have no choice but to oblige. Harry leaped to the side, yelling "_Osteus Pulvorosis_, the Bone Breaking Hex. Nott cast a shield, but the spell managed to break through the shield. What the shield didn't absorb hit his arm with a soft crack. He screamed it pain, and Harry promptly stunned him, at least ending his suffering. Tonks was gaining the advantage on her cousin, but Macnair had overpowered Mrs. Weasley, sending a Cutting Curse that caused blood to spray all over her shoulder. Mr. Weasley furiously sent a Blasting Hex at Macnair, which broke through the large Death Eater's shield and caused him to blast backwards and fall to the ground unconscious.

"Mr. Weasley, look out! _Contego!_" Harry yelled, realizing that Mr. Weasley had forgotten about Goyle in his defense of his wife. Goyle's angry Bludgeoning Curse was blocked by Harry's shield, pulling Mr. Weasley's mind back into the battle.

Harry decided Hermione, Ron, and Ginny needed help next. The trio was holding their own, but it was clear that the older Death Eaters were gaining the advantage. Harry sent a powerful Blasting Hex at Dolohov's knee, shattering it. He howled in pain, and shot a Killing Curse at Harry, which he avoided in the nick of time. Dolohov was hit with Bat-Bogeys when he took his attention off of Ginny. He writhed in pain, shooting jets of green light randomly in the general direction of Harry's companions.

"Duck!" Harry commanded as he dropped to the floor while nonverbally stunning Dolohov, who didn't see the red light coming at him thanks to Ginny's Bat Bogeys.

Rookwood shot a nasty looking spell in Hermione's direction. Harry didn't know what it was, but it had a sickly crimson color. Harry threw up a shield a few yards in front of Hermione, praying that it would stop the spell. She was busy fighting Crabbe Sr. and didn't see the impending spell. The shield lessened the impact of the spell, but the spell passed through the shield, looking weaker, but still headed on course.

Ron also saw it coming and wasted no time in leaping in front of the brunette, absorbing the curse. Harry felt a sinking sensation as he noted that Ron was writhing on the ground.

"_Diffindo!_" Harry snarled angrily. _Everbero!_ he cast mentally, noting that Rookwood dodged the Cutting Curse, but put himself right in line to receive the Bludgeoning Hex.

"_Protego!_" Rookwood shouted desperately at the last second.

"_Reducto!_" Harry yelled as the Bludgeoning Hex destroyed the shield and flung Rookwood backwards. The Blasting Hex enclosed on Rookwood's chest, but the Death Eater's hand enclosed around an object in his belt and he vanished. The Death Eaters who were conscious looked at Rookwood and decided to follow his example.

Harry decided that Ron's health was more important than tying up the remaining Death Eaters, so he ran over to his friend's side. Harry could see Ron on the ground struggling to breathe. Harry cursed; this must be the Strangulation Curse he had read about… Harry thought furiously, trying desperately to remember what the countercurse was. "A Bezoar!" he exclaimed suddenly, remembering one of the cures for the curse.

Harry sent a shattering hex at the Quality Quidditch Supplies window and summoned their Lightning Strike that was on display. He was fairly far away, but his spell worked and the broom zoomed into his grasp. He raced at top speed to the apothecary. Ron only had a few minutes left…

Harry shattered the window, summoned a bezoar and raced back to Ron, not bothering to offer an apology to the gobsmacked shop owner. Hermione was crying over Ron's thrashing body that was gasping for a breath that would not come. Ginny was looking between Ron and Harry frantically. Harry held Ron's mouth open and shoved the bezoar down his throat, praying that it would work. After five very long seconds, Ron took a deep breath and promptly fell unconscious.

"Is he ok? What did you do?" Hermione shrieked frantically.

"He will be fine." Harry touched a finger to his best mate's throat. "He's breathing"

Harry looked up and saw Dumbledore and the rest of the Order arriving. Harry seriously considered fleeing the scene, but Harry decided it would be best for them to at least know what transpired here in Diagon Alley and it may be helpful for them to know what happened to Ron. Plus, Harry owed the Quality Quidditch Supplies manager an apology for making off with their best broom.

Dumbledore raced over to Harry, showing surprising speed for an old man. Moody was rounding up the fallen Death Eaters, snapping their wands and preparing them to go to Azkaban. Harry saw that among the Death Eaters captured were Lucius Malfoy, Wormtail, Nott, Rosier, Goyle Sr, and the one he didn't recognize. And of course, there was Bellatrix Lestrange…

"Harry! Are you OK?" Dumbledore shouted, staring at Harry in a look of horror.

Harry then realized why the old man was staring; his shirt was completely covered in blood. He had forgotten about that… _Hold it in, Potter…_he told his stomach. "I'm fine, none of it is mine," Harry mumbled.

"You are sure?" Dumbledore asked, peering into Harry's eyes. After Harry nodded, Dumbledore asked, "Would you care to give me a report of what transpired today?"

Harry scanned the scene before him. Mrs. Weasley had a large cut on her shoulder, but the blood seemed to have stopped flowing from her wound. Lupin and Tonks were assisting Moody, while Fred and George, who had not gone on the shopping expedition, were racing to their parents' side. Everything looked under control…

"Uhh… we got attacked by Death Eaters," Harry stated slowly.

"Perhaps you can begin by explaining why I was unable to enter Grimmauld Place this morning?" Dumbledore asked, his expression unreadable. Harry couldn't tell if he was angry or calm, but judging from the fact that his eyes held no merry twinkle, Harry guessed that Dumbledore was hiding his anger.

"It was my birthday, sir, and I wanted to spend it with my… family," Harry annunciated the last word, hoping Dumbledore would understand that Privet Drive no longer contained any family of Harry's. "Then we went to Diagon Alley and I saw Lucius Malfoy and Bellatrix Lestrange. I tried to stun Lucius before he could call in back up, but the damage was done." Harry hoped Dumbledore wouldn't ask for details about Bellatrix's demise. However, if he did, Harry planned to tell him that Bellatrix had been hit with a Cutting Curse in the neck.

"Harry, would you be kind enough to allow me to view your memory of the incident in the Pensieve? I believe that could help you from reliving some of the more… painful aspects," Dumbledore asked kindly. Harry wasn't fooled, Dumbledore didn't want him to be spared of any pain, he wanted information that he knew Harry wouldn't tell him.

"I don't think I can do that, sir," Harry said with utmost politeness.

"Harry-I really think it would be best-"

"What you think is 'for the best' isn't always actually, now is it, Professor?" Harry snapped, his politeness gone.

"I cannot tell you how saddened I am to hear that. Perhaps later we can discuss it and come to an understanding? I find most disagreements can be easily resolved if you listen to my reasoning, and then I listen to yours," Dumbledore said wisely, peering into Harry's eyes.

Harry wanted to believe the headmaster; wanted to believe that Harry could come to an agreement with Dumbledore if he just told him everything. However, a nasty voice in Harry's head was reminding him of all of the things Dumbledore had done to him. No, Dumbledore would have to realize that Harry was the only one allowed to make decisions about his life. As soon as he saw signs that the headmaster was respecting that, Harry decided he would tell him everything. "I'm sorry Professor, but I don't really want to hear your reasoning. I will give you an account of what happened, and then I shall be on my way."

"While I would have preferred for us to handle this in a mature manner, I will accept your account of today's events. But first, I must ask, where have you been this summer?" Dumbledore asked in a forced calm voice, which made Harry's temper flare. So the 'mature' thing to do would be to allow Dumbledore to hold all the cards?

Harry managed to quell his temper and answered coolly, "To a place safer than Privet Drive, in more than one sense of the word. Now for what happened today…" Harry quickly proceeded to explain the day's events to Dumbledore, hoping to end the discussion on Harry's living arrangements. "As I told you earlier, the Weasleys and Lupin and Tonks decided to take a trip to Diagon Alley. I was reluctant to go, but I decided I had no right to keep them _prisoner_ in Grimmauld Place. I saw Malfoy and Bellatrix talking, and decided to take them out before they could gather reinforcements-"

"Why did you choose to fight instead of run? The Three Broomsticks's fireplace could have taken you to safety," Dumbledore asked sensibly. Harry knew that Dumbledore would be analyzing every aspect of his answer, so Harry carefully wording his response, not wanting Dumbledore to jump to the conclusion that his temper got the best of him and made him make the wrong choice.

"Lucius was already calling in backup. I figured I could stop him and Bellatrix by two quick Stunning Spells. I had Lucius out cold and would have had no problem with Bellatrix if Wormtail hadn't interfered," Harry said, keeping his voice level and controlled. Occlumency practice had helped him keep his emotions under control. Harry figured that a "poker face" as Dudley's telly called it, would be a useful skill for dealing with situations like this.

Dumbledore's brow furrowed, concerned with Harry's indifference. Harry had just killed someone, as well as helped his friends defeat twice their number of Death Eaters. He sounded so dispassionate about it… just like another handsome boy Dumbledore taught a long time ago. _Was Harry really this indifferent? Or was he just hiding his emotions because of his discomfort with me?_ Dumbledore wondered. "Harry, next time I must urge you to take a safer route of action. The time will come for war, but for now, you need to stay safe."

Now Harry began to show a bit of passion. "What you mean is I should have let the two worst Death Eaters roam free? And allow them to carry out their plots to harm the people I care for? You need to understand that the Order cannot win the war against Voldemort. You know what I'm talking about, I am a part of the war, and will be until Voldemort is gone. You can't keep me away from the war. If I was in Privet Drive today, it is likely the lot of them would be dead. Instead we have six Death Eaters in Azkaban," Harry said vehemently, his cool expression lost.

Dumbledore grimaced, looking like he truly was 150 years old. "Harry, because you are so important to the war, you cannot go risking your life. Had you been in Privet Drive, this attack may not have happened."

"And how exactly will sitting in Privet Drive win the war? Unless Voldemort plans to die of old age…" Harry remarked sarcastically. "Don't get me wrong, I will be staying as safe as I can. I will also be doing everything I can to keep those around me safe. If to do that there has to be more days like this, then so be it. The Weasleys would have been attacked regardless of my presence," Harry said, deciding that it would be best to end the conversation soon, as Dumbledore just wasn't getting the point.

"Harry, would you please consent to stay in Grimmauld Place, with the Weasleys? I know you enjoy their company. We can discuss the situation later after you have cooled down from the heat of battle." Dumbledore too realized that Harry wouldn't be swayed today. The headmaster decided to continue his case later, when Harry had a chance to calm himself. Surely he would refuse the chance to stay with his best friends, especially with Mr. Weasley injured… Then Dumbledore could at least stop him from running of into danger.

"I suppose I could visit from time to time..." Harry said smirking. "But for now, I really must be on my way."

Dumbledore's brain worked furiously, trying to figure out where exactly Harry could go and how he planned to get there. He was so used to being the one who held the secrets that the enigma that was Harry Potter riled him to no end.

"I'm afraid I cannot… by Merlin!" Dumbledore sat dumbfounded as Harry vanished right before his eyes. It had to be a portkey… he couldn't have Apparated… After nearly five minutes of going over the events of today in his mind, Dumbledore finally formed a theory. He put together the facts that Harry had kept him out of Grimmauld Place, that Sirius loved him like a son, and the fact that he vanished right in front of the headmaster's face. Yes, Harry being the master of Grimmauld Place would explain everything… like how he arrived there for his birthday without using the Floo Network.

Dumbledore sighed, realizing this still didn't explain the place Harry spent most of his summer at. Dumbledore reminded himself that he had made some progress concerning Harry's mysteries. Perhaps Harry would let something slip the next time they talked. At the very least, once Harry was at Hogwarts he wouldn't be able to be as secretive.

Sitting alone at Potter Manor, Harry went over the fight over and over in his mind; the adrenaline and fury that was coursing through his body as he fought Bellatrix. The exhilaration as his hands morphed into lion's paws, with razor sharp claws. He could feel the beast within him roaring in triumph as he conquered his enemy, and that made him ashamed. He had been defeated by Bellatrix, but then he suddenly became the victor. _The victor? No, that's not right. I became the predator; the destroyer. He was a killer, a murderer… Bellatrix didn't just die; she was destroyed by him… Harry had sunk to her level… _

While one part of his mind was brooding over the fact that he was a murderer, the other part of his mind was saying, _What are you moping for, Potter? This is war, and you wanted to be a part of it. Stop acting like a weak child… She was your enemy, she tortured Neville's parents, she killed Sirius, Azkaban is too good for her!_

_Sirius wouldn't have wanted you to be a killer! Look at you, you got a rush out of killing her, admit it! Sirius would be ashamed, so would your parents!_ The war in his mind was getting so fierce that he didn't notice Ginny Weasley arriving in Potter Manor. She saw him hunched over, his head in his hands. She had been afraid of this… She knew that Harry had a tendency to brood.

"Harry?" she asked gently.

"Ginny? What are you doing here?" he asked surprised at seeing the red haired girl who he had become very good friends with.

"I came to see if…" she paused, not knowing what to say. She knew Harry was liable to explode in these types of situations. "…you wanted to talk."

"Ginny, why would you want to talk to me?" Harry asked.

'Hmm, let's see, maybe because I care about you?" Ginny said fiercely. When Harry began to say something beginning with "Why would-", Ginny interrupted him by grabbing his hand and saying, "Because we are your family, and you're my best friend. That won't change, no matter what you do. Now listen! You saved all of us! The Death Eaters would have overwhelmed us if you weren't there. You were brilliant and then you saved Ron's life."

"You don't understand, you weren't watching when I murd-" Harry said angrily, trying to make Ginny understand that he wasn't worthy of her friendship. She should find friends who weren't murderers. She should steer clear of people who were likely to not only get themselves killed, but everyone around them killed.

"It wasn't murder! I may not have seen it, but I know she planned to kill or torture you. That makes it self-defense," she said heatedly.

"Ginny… when I killed her… it felt _good_. I may have just reacted on instinct, but when she died… I should have felt horrible… I'm a monster," he concluded, a tear streaming down his face. He hated that Ginny now knew the truth of how he felt as he had killed Sirius's killer, but he couldn't conceal the truth from Ginny; she had to know what a monster he was.

"Harry you are NOT a monster! I may not know what it was like to kill someone, but I do know that she would have killed you or brought you to Voldemort. She would have felt no remorse, no pity, and no guilt." Ginny moved closer to Harry wrapping her arms around him. "You're nothing like her," she whispered in his ear.

Harry was getting lost in Ginny's embrace, feeling his guilt and self-hate melt away into tears. He felt at home in her arms, and there was too much on his find to be embarrassed, so he hugged her back. He began to cry, tears spilling down his face and landing on Ginny.

Ginny let go after Harry finished letting out his grief. She didn't know exactly what he was crying about, but she it was from combination of all the horrible things that had happened to him.

"S-sorry," he mumbled, casting a Drying Charm on her shirt, realizing he had just broken down rather badly in front of Ginny.

"It's not a problem. We're here for you, Harry. Don't forget that," she said gently.

"I don't deserve you, Ginny," Harry mumbled.

"Harry! You're not still on about that are you? I thought we got it into your head… If you can't understand that you're a bloody wonderful person at least get it into your thick head that you have saved nearly half of the members of the Weasley family!" Ginny said, her chocolate brown eyes staring right into Harry's green ones.

_Bloody hell, she's beautiful when she's angry!_ Harry thought to himself, not knowing where the thought came from. "Err… I suppose," he croaked.

"I'm serious-"

"No you're Ginny," he said smugly.

"Ha.Ha. As I was saying... I don't want to hear you saying you don't deserve us, because frankly, you deserve more than us."

"O…okay," Harry mumbled looking at the floor, knowing better than to argue. He looked back into Ginny's freckled face and said, "And I am glad to have you."

Ginny beamed at him, and grabbed his hand. "Let's go to Grimmauld Place, the others want to talk to you." Seeing Harry's face fall, she quickly added, "They also don't blame you for what happened. And you shouldn't blame yourself."

"When did you get so smart?" Harry muttered.

Ginny chuckled. "C'mon. Ron is in bed and wanted to see you. He is weak, but apparently not weak enough to declare his feelings for Hermione," Ginny said cunningly.

"What? You mean he finally came to his senses?" Harry asked incredulously.

"Yeah" Ginny replied. _Like I wish you would do…_

"Did Hermione fall over dead?"

"No, she was thrilled about it. At least, that's how it would seem from when I walked in the room," Ginny said, causing them both to laugh.

"Well, lets get to Grimmauld then," Harry said, grabbing her arm and transporting her to the other house that he possessed.

They were greeted by the rest of the Weasleys, Lupin, and Tonks. Harry was complimented many times on the way he fought at Diagon Alley, causing Harry to wince, remembering what those "new abilities" had been used for. Luckily they hadn't seen Harry kill Bellatrix; they had only seen her body after the battle. They were all being so nice to him… was it true that they actually didn't think of him badly for killing Bellatrix? Harry believed Ginny; he knew she wouldn't lie to spare his feelings. But how could this loving family actually care about him after he had shown the darker half of his soul?

His thoughts were interrupted by Hermione, who came into the room saying that Ron had fallen back to sleep. She thanked him profusely for saving Ron, but she also had another thing on her mind. "When you saw Ron, you seemed like you knew what the curse was and that a bezoar could cure it. How did you know all that?"

Everyone looked at Harry at that moment, even Lupin and Tonks. They had been training him, but they certainly hadn't taught him anything about a curse that could stop someone from breathing.

Harry's brain worked furiously to come up with a believable answer. "Err, after Hermione was hurt by Dolohov last year, I began to search for a countercurse or cure for that spell, because I figured we would be seeing it again. I glanced over the Strangulation Curse because it was on the next page. It turns out the purple spell was a Rupturing Curse." That was pretty smooth if he did say so himself. 'S' would come after 'R' in a spell book organized by the alphabet.

Of course, Hermione's curiosity would require more than that. "Where did you find a book so knowledgeable about the Dark Arts?"

"Grimmauld Place. It was in Regulus's room," Harry lied smoothly.

"So what was Dumbledore talking to you about, Dad?" Ginny said, earning a grateful smile from Harry. Not only had she changed the subject, she brought up a question that Harry would like an answer to.

Mr. Weasley paused to look at his wife, who nodded. "He wants two things. He wants me to make sure you stay here and he wants me to ask you to allow the Order entry into Grimmauld Place," he said wearily, looking at Harry. "Harry, I won't pressure you to do the first thing, but I will ask that you allow Order members access here. If there is an emergency, access to the headquarters could save someone's life."

Harry nodded, saying he would allow Order members to access his house. He noted that Mr. Weasley was in a conflict between Dumbledore, a man that he looked up to, and Harry, someone he thought of as a son. Harry hated that he was putting Mr. Weasley in that position, but what other choice was there? He caught Mr. Weasley's eye and nodded in thanks.

After dinner, Harry went back to Potter Manor. He was excited about getting back into his training routine, especially after he saw how useful it proved to be against Death Eaters. He went for a quick nighttime fly on his new broomstick, letting his thoughts fade to the background as he concentrated on the wind whipping his face.

The next two weeks passed slowly for Harry, who resumed his near-obsessive training. As far as his sessions with Tonks and Lupin went, Harry was doing quite well. He was able to hold his own against either of them in a duel, and his spell casting abilities had been improving slowly. Each day he was slightly, just slightly better than the last. It could get frustrating, but he reminded himself that he would need every skill he could get to defeat Voldemort. Harry felt his two biggest areas of improvement were in his Animagus training and Occlumency. He now had a seven-tiered mind, although the layers of memories were not protected. What he needed was someone to try to break it so he could see which areas needed work, but Harry couldn't think of anyone who he trusted enough who was a Legilimens.

For the first couple days after the incident in Diagon Alley, Harry wasn't able to produce his lion's paws. At first he was worried, but then he assumed that he was only able to produce them so early because he was in an emergency. He eventually was able to form his paws, which inspired him to start on his full arms. Harry found that because of his skill in altering his hair, he was able to easily make the mane. It looked as if it would be possible for him complete the transformation by the time school began, but of course, he wasn't sure. He had talked to his father's portrait about Animagus transformation and he learned that once you completed the arms and legs, you could probably attempt the full transformation.

Overall, Harry believed that things were looking good, even his forays into wandless magic. He was able to now cast weak spells, such as the spells he learned during his fourth year while preparing for the Triwizard Tournament. They were a little bit weaker than when he cast them with a wand, but he figured that he would at least be able to cast spells with his wand, while maintaining a weak Protego with his left hand.

The next big event coming up was Ginny's birthday. She had become a really special friend to him this summer, and Harry wanted to give her something she would like. Harry remembered Hermione explaining how Ginny used to sneak into the broom shed at the Burrow, and an idea came to his mind. When they had flown together at Potter Manor, Harry just lent her his Firebolt. Harry would have given that to her, but the Firebolt was Sirius's present to him, so Harry wanted to keep it. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley may not like how much money Harry spent, but after seeing how wonderfully Ginny flew on his Firebolt, he felt like she deserved it. Harry knew she was afraid of not getting on the Quidditch team solely because she could only afford an old school broom.

Harry arrived at Grimmauld Place in the morning, appearing right next to the dining table where he saw the Weasley's gathered. He placed his present by the stack of wrapped objects.

He began to say something, but the twins shut him up, explaining that they were going to surprise Ginny when she came down. Bill and Charlie were there, but there was no sign of Percy. Mrs. Weasley was cooking something that smelled divine in the kitchen, while Mr. Weasley was doing a quick scan of the Daily Prophet.

Finally Ginny walked down the stairs, greeted by a loud "Happy Birthday!" cheer. A huge beam broke out on her face and she realized why her brothers had gotten up so early.

Harry walked up to her and wished her happy birthday. He couldn't explain why, but this time he wished her with a happy birthday hug. _Wow… she really has grown up._ he thought, unable to help himself from noticing how shapely she had become. Every once in a while her shirt would ride up on her bellybutton, exposing a sliver of skin. _Potter! What the hell is wrong with you? It's a good thing no one here could perform Legilimency…_ Harry forced his traitorous mind off such subjects by talking to Ginny about which classes she planned to take for her O.W.L. year. Ginny had her birthday special of pancakes, whipped cream, and strawberries, and then excitedly ran towards her presents. She was so lively and animated, her vibrant hair- _Potter! Can you think clearly for one bloody second?_ he mentally scolded himself. Ginny opened her presents with many happy squeals. She was almost as bad as Harry when it came to presents. She saved Harry's for last, slowly unraveling an edge of the wrapping paper. She took a peek inside and shrieked, turning to face Harry. A second later all Harry could see was a mass of fragrant red hair as he realized Ginny Weasley was hugging him.

"Oh my god, Harry… Thank you! Thank you so much," she said, unable to help herself from kissing Harry on the cheek. Suddenly Harry was very aware of the fact that Ginny was pressed up against him and that his cheek was burning where Ginny kissed it. His cheeks turned red and he looked away in an attempt to hide his blush. He forced his mind to get back in gear and replied, "You're welcome Ginny. I hope you enjoy it." He smiled at her when he realized her cheeks were also colored. Harry and Ginny both silently groaned as they realized that the whole Weasley family had been watching them very closely as Ginny basically pounced on him and kissed his cheek.

Mr. Weasley recovered first. "Lets see what has got our fifteen year old so excited, shall we?" He gestured to the broom, implying that Ginny should open it and show it to the family.

Ginny looked nervously at the long wrapped gift, knowing that her family would not be as thrilled as she was. She slowly unraveled it, causing Ron to immediately yell, "Bloody hell, Harry. You…her… Firebolt…"

Even Mrs. Weasley was too stunned to reprimand Ron for his foul language. Everyone's eyes were flickering in between Harry and Ginny.

"Oh dear…" Mrs. Weasley said, her voice a blend of different emotions. She glanced at her husband and winced very slightly.

"Harry… can I talk to you… in private?" Mr. Weasley asked, his expression unreadable. However, Harry could tell that he was in for one long discussion.

Harry followed Mr. Weasley into another room. Harry hoped Mrs. Weasley and Ginny's brothers weren't giving her a hard time.

"Harry, I will be frank here. From the day we met, I knew you had more money then this family would ever have. It was not a problem at all, because your money did not cause you to look down on our family a single bit, a fact that does you great credit. It fills me with happiness to see that my two youngest children have made friends with such a fine young man. As the years progressed, you experienced many birthdays and Christmases at our house. You realized that our gifts never cost much, and you respected this, always giving us meaningful, wonderful gifts, and never making us feel guilty by giving us a gift we could not afford to reciprocate. It became an unspoken tradition for us to not worry about our differences in wealth during Christmas times, and I feel that worked quite well. May I ask why you decided to buy Ginny such an expensive gift?" Mr. Weasley didn't seem mad, just very serious.

"Err… well she likes Quidditch as much as I do, and I could tell that she was really worried about not getting to play because she didn't have a good enough broom, although she never showed it. I thought it was the most useful gift I could give her. And Mr. Weasley, I could think of no better use of my money than to convey to Ginny that she's the best friend someone like me could ask for. I'm sorry for making the situation uncomfortable, but I didn't give her a Firebolt _because_ it was expensive; I gave it to her because I thought it was the one thing she would like," Harry said truthfully, hoping that Mr. Weasley would understand.

"Harry, while I'm glad that you and Ginny have become friends, and perhaps more… Well, you cannot spend such sums of money… Just please don't do it again," Mr. Weasley said looking sad. Seeing the joy that Harry brought onto Ginny's face had hurt him, because it made him terribly aware of the fact that _he_ couldn't do something like that for her. He felt it every time when his children went to Hogwarts in second hand robes… "Harry, while I have never been able to give my children the possessions that they deserve, I feel that as a parent I have passed on good morals and taught them well. The reason I have repeatedly declined you offers to share your money with my family was not simply because I was too proud to accept it. Well, that certainly was a major part of it, but the other reason was because I was afraid that if our children suddenly had such money they would forget about what's important. I was afraid they would look down on other families like us."

Harry took a few seconds to soak it all in. He had no idea that Mr. Weasley was feeling all of that. "Mr. Weasley, they all know what a great father you are and they all know how blessed they are to have such a wonderful family. I don't believe that Ginny will lose sight of that because I bought her a present like this, and I know for sure that she never, ever would blame you for not being able to buy her something like that," Harry said wisely, trying to convince Mr. Weasley that his children weren't going to randomly turn into Malfoys… Well, Harry wouldn't put it past Percy…

Mr. Weasley looked thoughtfully and then nodded at Harry. "I suppose you do have a point. But please, try not to spend so much again. I know your intentions were good, but whenever you make a decision, you have to consider all of the variables."

"Okay," Harry said.

Mr. Weasley patted his shoulder, and then left the room. As he left the room, he decided that he wasn't really in the mood to have a similar conversation with any of Ginny's brothers or Mrs. Weasley. They weren't as rational as the Weasley patriarch, especially when they were angry. Hopefully Mr. Weasley would talk to them and things could go on as before. He strode down the hall literally bumping into Ginny who wasn't looking where she was going. "Oh! Harry, sorry, I didn't see you."

Harry could see that her face was red, not the type of embarrassed red, but the angry type. "What's wrong, Ginny?" he asked tentatively.

"My brothers are being gits," she muttered darkly. Harry groaned, realizing that if he had just gotten her a normal present none of this would have happened.

"Harry, don't you go feeling guilty, I love your present, and I understand why you gave it to me. It means the world to me. My brothers are the ones who are being gits, not you," she said heatedly.

"Err, you want to talk about it?" Harry said carefully. "Why don't we go for a fly first on our brooms, then we can talk. That helps me when I'm in a right state."

"Sure. But one of the things my brothers were on about was that I, um, seemed to be missing from headquarters…" she said awkwardly.

"Oh…darn…why don't you come tell me what happened," Harry said, leading her into his room. Damn, this didn't look good. His discussion with Mr. Weasley now seemed like a walk in the park. He certainly hadn't considered all of the variables before acting…

"They believed I had been dropping hints all summer about how nice it would be to receive a Firebolt. Mum was on my side at first, but then bloody Ron pointed out that we had been going missing once in awhile doing god knows what. That set Mum off, especially because I refused to tell her. They jumped to the wrong conclusions… and wouldn't shut theirs mouths and listen. They said that I had taken advantage of your vulnerable state to fulfill my stupid eleven year old crush and then used you to buy me a Firebolt," Ginny said angrily and sadly. How could her own family turn on her this way?

"That's completely ridiculous, and I think they will see it soon enough. Your father was okay with it, after our talk, and I think he will help them understand. If not, I'll tell them, but I will not have them blaming you!" Harry said heatedly. He looked into Ginny's eyes and said, "We know the truth, and that's all that matters. As you said earlier, they were the ones being gits, not you or me. I know out of every single woman in the world, you would be the least likely to do what your parents accused you of. It was me who took advantage of your kindness and caring to unload all of my emotional problems-"

"Enough. I'm going to pretend I didn't hear that last sentence," she said, looking a little calmer than before. Suddenly her face grew sad again and she said, "I just thought that they would be happy that I'm happy. Isn't that what family is for? I guess that's a naïve thought-"

"No it isn't naïve and I do think they will be happy for you sooner or later. Everything that has happened this summer had been hard on them, beginning with having to move out of the Burrow."

"But what does that have to do with-"

"I'm getting to the point, don't worry. So then I stop telling Ron everything and start doing things in secret. Your Mum doesn't like that at all, and I know it hurts Ron that I don't invite him over to my place or anything. Now can you understand why they aren't thinking straight? They're don't like what I get up to, then they see you getting involved. In Ron's case, he may even think that you are trying to replace him as my best friend. Then, there's the whole overprotective business… which I know is annoying, but you have to admit, it could be their strange way of showing their love for you. _And_ on top of all those things I just mentioned, there's the whole money issue."

"I…I suppose you're right. How did you know that all of this… stuff… was running through their minds?"

"Well, I didn't consider any of it when I was buying the gift. Not that I regret it or anything, I just didn't anticipate the various possibilities."

"So what do you think we should do about it?" Ginny asked.

"Hmm… well there's two options. We can just go about our business and pretend not to care what they think, or we can confront them about it and explain… well, try to explain the things we just talked about," Harry replied. "It's your choice, but I'll help you with whichever one you choose."

"Hmm… I kinda just want to keep on doing what we have been doing all summer. Maybe when they cool down we can talk about it… for now I just don't want to worry about them. Is your offer to go flying still open?"

"Sure Ginny. Don't worry about your family; they'll come around sooner or later," Harry said kindly, taking her hand and giving it a quick squeeze before he transported them to Potter Manor. After they materialized at the Quidditch pitch, Ginny gave him a quick hug before they separated and got on their respective brooms.

"Race you around the pitch!" Harry yelled, giving Ginny a head start. She was very fast, but Harry managed to catch up to her halfway around the pitch. He stayed head-to-head with her instead of shooting ahead and winning. Harry summoned a Quaffle and played Keeper so Ginny could practice chasing with her broom. As he began to realize he would have no chance stopping her shots, he started to use, just a slight bit of wandless magic, pushing her shots just a tad to the side so they would hit the rim of the hoop.

"Hey! Potter, I know you're up to something…" she said menacingly.

Harry feigned innocence, saying, "Well, Miss Weasley, I think you're just losing your touch. Perhaps you should concentrate and try again?"

Ginny hurled the Quaffle through one of the hoops before Harry could react. "Ha! Take that, Potter," she said in triumph.

After that, they began a good natured flying competition, where one would fly in a certain pattern and the other would have to match it. After five minutes, Harry was running out of maneuvers to stump Ginny. While Harry could perform them faster and more fluidly, she was surprisingly good at following him. Harry, out of any other ideas, began to fly up very high. He then plummeted down at full speed, wind screaming in his ears.

Ginny was sure he was going to collide with the ground, that she had yelled out his name. Finally he pulled out of his dive, and flew over to a flustered Ginny. She wanted to scold him for almost getting himself killed, and she wanted to run her fingers through his ruffled hair…

"You're turn, Gin," he said smiling at her.

_Damn_, Ginny thought. She couldn't do that… She was a bit scared of heights and drops. Well, more than a bit. No one knew that, because playing Chaser didn't normally include plummeting downward. Luckily in her one game as Seeker, she had managed to grab the Snitch quickly before she was forced into any drastic Seeker measures, such as a Wronski Feint. But she couldn't tell Harry that! No way…

"Ginny?" he asked softly, breaking her out of her reverie. "It's ok, you don't have to do it. It was unfair for me to do something I've practiced over and over." He sensed her discomfort and cursed himself for being a show off. "Why don't you come for a ride on my broom?" he asked shyly.

Ginny hesitantly agreed, sitting behind him. As the broom began to move, she found herself placing her arms around him. There was something about him that was so comforting and reassuring. She knew he planned to shoot downward, but she wouldn't show her fear. She could handle her fear; she was with Harry.

Harry flew up slowly, enjoying the sensation of flying with Ginny, feeling her arms around him as he moved through the air. After they were high in the air, he looked back at her and asked if she was ready.

She nodded, clinging on to Harry as tight as she could. He whooped in joy and began to shoot downwards.

"AHH! HARRY!!!!" she screamed as they plummeted, squeezing him into her as hard as she could.

Harry could feel Ginny's body pressing into his as they picked up speed. He felt so alive, the wind in his hair, his heart beating rapidly, and Ginny… Harry's mind was torn off of that subject as Ginny screamed even louder. He realized they were nearing the ground quite rapidly, and he yanked up on his broom, pulling out the dive only a few yards over the ground.

That was the most terrifying thing she had ever done, but she knew, if Harry asked, she would do it again. She didn't let go of Harry even after they had finished. Her heart was beating wildly in her chest, and she could feel Harry's beating at nearly the same tempo. She knew she should let go now before Harry said something to her, but she couldn't make her arms move.

Harry turned towards her as if to say something, but then he stopped and looked into her eyes. Ginny felt herself drowning in those beautiful emerald eyes, and before she could stop herself, she began to run her hand through Harry's hair. Her mind was screaming at her to withdraw from this position before she embarrassed herself, but before she had the chance, Harry put a hand on her cheek and leaned in towards her, his heart beating wildly. A second later their lips connected and explosions went off through their bodies. Harry lost himself in her soft, sweet lips, kissing them passionately. Finally they pulled apart, due to the fact that they were out of breath.

"Harry…" Ginny said softly, but happily. _She had kissed Harry Potter! The boy of her dreams!_ She could hardly believe it had finally happened. "That was amazing!"

"You're amazing, Ginny. I wish I had done this ages ago… Will you be my girlfriend?" he asked, his heart soaring.

"I'd love to Harry." And before Harry could respond, she silenced him with her lips.

The beast in his chest roared triumphantly as he kissed his girlfriend.


	5. Chapter 5: Back to School

5. Back to School

Harry woke up bright and early the next day, tempted to skip his exercises and go to Grimmauld Place to see Ginny, but reminding himself that he had only two more weeks before school started. He had to be careful about his training because Dumbledore was sure to watch him like a hawk, and Malfoy was sure to be trying to spy on him. He supposed he could use the Room of Requirement for his magic practice, and hide the _Tome of Shadows_ there. For physical exercise, he could also get machines from the Room of Requirement. The problem was how to continue his lessons with Tonks and Lupin. They couldn't come to Hogwarts regularly, as that would arouse too many suspicions. Harry couldn't figure out a solution, so he decided to put the problem aside for now. He would just have to get as much done now as possible. In any case he wouldn't be able to keep up all parts of his training at Hogwarts because of classes and homework. His Occlumency was at the point where it only required that he spend around twenty minutes or so every day to organize his mind and reinforce his walls. As soon as he completed all of his Animagus forms, that would free up some time as well.

So he spent his remaining days mostly alone in Potter Manor, except from visits from his mentors and Ginny. Ginny's family had realized that they had overreacted horribly, but they were still not happy with Ginny spending more and more time at Potter Manor, especially now that they were dating.

Harry was meditating to clear his mind one afternoon when Ginny Flooed over. She didn't want to disturb him, so she hid behind a couch in the room.

Today he was not meditating because of Occlumency, but because his Animagus book said that for the first transformation, you needed to be completely concentrated on your animal form. He stood, bringing the image of the lion into his head, commanding his magic to change every part of his body into that of the lion's. His transformation was not nearly as fluid and quick as McGonagall's or Sirius's, but he still felt his bones reshaping, his head turning into the majestic head of a lion. Golden fur replaced his skin and he felt his muscles turn into those of a 700-pound lion's. He leaped around the room, reveling in the agility and strength of his new form. He roared as loud as he could, the noise echoing through the manor's large halls. The lion had a very sharp sense of hearing and smell and he could sense another person nearby. With one leap, he crossed the room, landing on top of the sofa. He peered downward, seeing a familiar face.

"H-Harry?" Ginny said, trying to remain calm, but that was a bit hard when you were staring into a lion's face. When he stared at her, not moving, she began to get worried. What if in his new form he didn't recognize it was she and attacked her? She looked into his huge green eyes and reminded herself, _No, this was Harry_.

Harry moved closer to her, and then proceeded to give her a big, sloppy lick across the face. He then changed back into himself and laughed at her.

"Harry, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to eavesdrop… I saw that you were meditating and I didn't want to disturb-"

"It's fine, Gin," he said, helping her up. "I was planning on telling you anyway sooner or later. I knew you were on to me when you bought me that watch."

Ginny smiled, glad that Harry wasn't mad. "Your lion is gorgeous," she remarked.

"You think so?"

"Yeah. Green eyes look great against your golden fur. And you were so strong and muscular… not that your human form hasn't filled out quite nicely," she remarked casually, causing Harry to blush. "Change back again."

"Yes, m'lady," he said teasingly, turning back into a lion. Ginny promptly jumped on top of his back, demanding that he let her ride.

Harry growled and then took off, shooting outside of the house and running as fast as he could around the Potter grounds, making Ginny squeal in terror and hold on for dear life. After a minute or two, he flipped Ginny off of him and onto the soft grass. Before she could react, he pinned her down, purring triumphantly.

"Harry!" She giggled, trying futilely to escape from the lion. Suddenly she found Harry's toned body pressing against her, as she tasted his lips. She opened her mouth slightly, allowing their tongues to caress each other's mouth.

Explosions went off in Harry's body as they took their kissing to a new level. All he could think of at that moment was to taste more of her; it would not have mattered if Voldemort had materialized in front of him. However, just as his hands began to roam, he felt a prickling in his scar, which soon turned into terrible pain as his surroundings changed. He was no longer in Potter Manor, but inside an unfamiliar house. He was hissing something to a massive serpent as he touched his wand to his forearm.

Harry realized what was happening and tried to use his Occlumency, but it was no use, he couldn't pull out of the vision, and any further attempt to might announce his presence to Voldemort. He cursed as he saw Voldemort's Death Eaters arrive; all of them, including the ones put in Azkaban. _How the hell did they escape from Azkaban in two weeks again?_ First, after the battle in the ministry, a group of them had been put in Azkaban, but those escaped. Then six more had been put in the highest security wards of Azkaban, but two weeks later they were back to serving their bloody Dark Lord… this was getting ridiculous, was Azkaban under Voldemort's control or something? Then Harry realized what Dumbledore had been saying about the dementors last year.

"Ahh… My Death Eaters return, after miserably failing their simply tasks. Tell me Lucius, how were you once again unable to capture the brat? I believe you had nearly twice his numbers as well the element of surprise," Voldemort said, causing a frosty chill to creep up Harry's spine. He could tell it was taking every bit of Voldemort's self restraint to not scream at Lucius, because Harry could feel his frustration.

"My lord, Potter somehow knew we were there and…"

"_Crucio!_" Voldemort snarled. "Do not lie! I know Potter had no knowledge of an attack plan. I also know he defeated both you and Bellatrix in a duel. I cannot express my disgust in you, Lucius, getting defeated by a boy. All you had to do was stay out of sight, call in back up, and give him a Portkey! That's twice you have proved yourself incapable of handling the simplest of instructions!"

Then the snake-like figure turned towards his other Death Eaters. "How could a dozen of you fail to defeat a few children? Again! Does your incompetence have no end? Next will I find you incapable of even killing a dirt-veined Muggle?" he asked furiously, his voice causing shudders among his followers. He tortured a few of his followers, reveling in the power he had, enjoying the control he had over his minions.

At this point, Harry couldn't bear staying in Voldemort's head any longer, so he passed out, his head falling in Ginny's lap.

Ginny didn't know what to do; they were having some great snogging and then all of a sudden Harry was screaming and clutching his scar. Then he lost consciousness…

She decided the best she could do for him would be to levitate him to his bed and wipe his face with a cool towel.

Finally Harry woke, slowly opening his eyes as he took in his surroundings. He looked up, seeing Ginny's face looking down on him.

"Harry! Are you ok?" she asked worriedly.

"Yeah… fine Ginny. Sorry for err-" he said groggily, remembering what had happened.

"No problem, Harry. Did Tom… see us together?" she asked slowly.

"No I don't think he did…" Harry said frowning, realizing that his new relationship with Ginny would be dangerous for her. "But Ginny… he's bound to figure it out sooner or later. He has spies everywhere. He'll go after you."

"I know that. Just like my family knew that getting close to you would put us directly in the war," Ginny said reassuringly. She knew where Harry was going with this conversation, and she wanted to stop him before he got there. "Harry, I'm not going to let Tom ruin the one bit of happiness I have. That we have. We have always been targets, and this year it's going to be worse, but that's why it's important for us to stick together, not pull away from each other."

"Well… I guess your right, but-" Harry said uneasily.

"No buts, of course I'm right," she said cheekily.

"Well… would you allow me to train you to fight then? I… it will make me feel better," he concluded lamely. He was going to have to be extra careful this year, because Voldemort was up to something. He reminded himself that Ginny wasn't as used to being in danger as he was, and resolved to make sure nothing could happen to her. Not only would he train her, but he would make sure no one got a chance to come near her. This year, he had to be as alert and omniscient as possible to stop the enemy's plots beforehand. He had practiced spells such as Finite Incantatem that would undo magical effects such as disguises, and learned wards that would ensure a measure of safety. He had also been practicing some Legilimency, which would be useful for getting information from non-Occlumens. Hopefully Malfoy wasn't able to close his mind…

"Okay. I know this is really important to you," she said kindly. Then a thought came into her mind that made her grin, so she voiced it to Harry, "But I want you to train me to become an Animagus. I... well, I took the potion a few days ago."

Harry's eyes focused on her, noticing that she was hiding her excitement. "And?"

Ginny couldn't hold her grin any longer. "A lioness."

"Wow! That's perfect, Ginny." Harry said, in genuine excitement. What a strange coincidence… especially because there was no way Ginny could have known he was a lion at that time. "Of course I'll teach you, but it will take a lot of time, and this is your O.W.L. year, after all-"

"Thanks Harry, but I'm going to pretend I didn't hear that last part," she said cheekily, causing Harry to giggle.

"Hermione would go bonkers if she caught on to us," Harry said.

"What Hermione doesn't know-"

"Okay, okay. But seriously, her, McGonogall, and Dumbledore both know tons about Transfiguration, and if we give them even a small hint, they will find out about it. I wouldn't put it past them to make us register," Harry said seriously.

Ginny reassured him that she would be secretive, and then asked him what he had seen in his vision.

"The dementors have sided with Voldemort, so that means Azkaban can no longer hold its prisoners. I don't know what he's up to, but I do know that something has to be done about the Azkaban situation. Fudge won't do it; he's busy convincing everyone that Voldemort has been caged by the ministry and is in no shape to attack anyone. Bloody idiot… Causing the world to let their guard down…" Harry's face narrowed in anger as he thought about the many things Fudge has done to help Voldemort. Harry supposed he had better tell Dumbledore that Azkaban was no longer a prison, but what could Dumbledore do? Harry knew what needed to be done was to form a new prison that wasn't guarded by dementors, but that wasn't likely to happen.

After giving Ginny some books to read, Harry told her that they could work on their Animagus training together when school started. Harry decided that would be a good idea, because while teaching her, he could work on his next form, which he decided would be the phoenix. Not that being a stag wouldn't be great, but Harry had been researching phoenixes, and their powers would most likely be of more use.

Ginny convinced Harry to take them back to Grimmauld Place because she had promised her Mum that she would be back by dinner, but she didn't want to leave Harry. They appeared in Grimmauld Place, noticing the Weasleys sitting at the dining table. Harry noticed that Mrs. Weasley seemed distracted and welcomed Harry and Ginny without eyeing either of them suspiciously. He then glanced around the table, realizing a very beautiful blonde was sitting next to Bill. "Hello, Fleur. Nice to see you again."

"'Arry! Eet iz nice to see you again," she said enthusiastically, getting up and giving him a greeting kiss on the cheek. This time, however, his cheeks did not turn red and he seemed to have no problem with her Veela charm, a fact that caused Ginny to beam at him. From Hermione's expression, it would appear that Ron responded to Fleur's greeting very differently.

"What have you been doing lately?" Harry asked, making polite conversation, but genuinely curious.

"Bill has been helping me with my English. I have also been working for ze Order. Bill and I vill be staying here." Harry chuckled; Bill had looked quite distracted all evening.

Harry snuck a look a Mrs. Weasley and guessed that she wasn't thrilled by this development. Harry looked at Ginny, seeing that she was amused at the situation as well. He ate dinner, having a quick discussion with Ron and Hermione. He decided to tell them about his vision, figuring that they had fought those Death Eaters as well. Dumbledore had probably told the Order, who would have, of course, not told Ron and Hermione. He also knew they were a bit miffed over Harry not telling them all of what he was up to. At first they had confronted him telling him that he shouldn't shut them off, but now, they seemed to be respecting the fact that he had secrets. Harry decided it would be prudent to start slowly getting rid of the distance in between them by sharing more and more. By backing off and trusting that he was doing what was right, they had shown Harry that they had grown up a bit. Instead of demanding that they fully grow up before he let them in, he decided to meet them halfway; sharing more and more secrets as they came to show more and more signs of maturity.

A rather nasty thought assailed him then. Was he manipulating his friends and family and justifying it by saying it was for the best in the long run? Wasn't that exactly what Dumbledore had done to the people close to him? Harry mulled it over in his mind, deciding that whether or not he had manipulated them this summer, the right thing to do would be to bridge the gap in between them.

Harry was drawn out of his thoughts by Mrs. Weasley, who told him that his Hogwarts letter had come to Grimmauld Place earlier that day. He opened it slowly, not really caring what his scores were, but a bit curious nonetheless. Opening it he found a few letters as well as a scarlet and gold badge, that was slightly different that Hermione's prefect badge. Guessing what this was, he quickly whipped out the different pieces of paper that came with it. One of which was a list of books and standard welcoming letter, which he put aside for now. He picked up one of the other papers and began to read.

_Dear Mr. Potter_

_This year I am pleased to announce my decision to offer you captaincy of the Gryffindor Quidditch Team. I believe it is a role in which you will excel in, and I am certain you will give forth your best effort and take the role of captain seriously. _

_Yours Sincerely,_

_Minerva McGonagall_

_Deputy Headmistress_

_Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry _

Ron eyed Harry's Quidditch captain badge with an awed expression on his face. "Well done, mate! I always knew you would get it. Now you get the same privileges as the prefects, without having to waste time-Oof!" he said as Hermione jabbed her elbow into his chest. "Err, I mean doing the noble duty of watching out for midgets… ouch…"

Harry kept his friend from getting himself into more trouble by saying, "Thanks Ron. I can't believe she picked me… Katie is a seventh year, and you know loads more about Quidditch…"

"She picked you because you're a leader, not because you know every single fact about Quidditch. She must have noticed that every member of the DA got an O.W.L. on their DADA exam," Ginny said, causing Harry to color at the praise.

Hermione chipped in next, "Congratulations Harry, but speaking of O.W.L.s…"

Harry smirked at his friend and slowly moved his hand to the next letter. He stopped, and then slowly scratched his head, tormenting Hermione. He finally picked up the letter and began to read it.

_Ordinary Wizarding Level Results_

_Pass Grades:_

_Outstanding_

_Exceeds Expectations_

_Acceptable_

_Fail Grades:_

_Poor _

_Dreadful _

_Troll_

_Astronomy — P_

_Care of Magical Creatures — O_

_Charms — O_

_Defense Against the Dark Arts — O_

_Divination — P_

_Herbology — A_

_History of Magic — D_

_Potions — E_

_Transfiguration — O_

_Honorary Distinction for highest score in the year, as well as a score above 100 percent. _

Harry was overall quite pleased with his OWL results. He didn't care about Astronomy, Divination, or History of Magic, so he wasn't at all dismayed about his failing grades. In the subjects that were important to him, he had received Outstandings, as well as an honorary distinction that Hermione was eyeing rather sharply, probably wondering how he got over a 100. His only regret was that he would be able to get into Snape's N.E.W.T. level potion class, which was required for Auror School. He could live with that; the Ministry's Auror program did have a few sharp Aurors, such as Moody, Tonks, and Shacklebolt, but many of them were utter buffoons, such as Dawlish. Plus not having to take Snape would be a huge plus.

Harry wrote to McGonogall, telling her that he would only be taking Charms, Defense Against the Dark Arts, Transfiguration, and Care of Magical Creatures. He knew you were supposed to choose five classes, but he thought he might get away with taking one less than required. In his opinion, training to defeat Voldemort would be a lot more useful than listening to Binns. He would have only taken three classes, but he knew that would have hurt Hagrid's feelings.

After finishing his letter, Harry felt his scar prickling once again, so he finished up the conversation and excused himself. Ginny eyed him suspiciously and followed him out of the room.

"Harry, what's wrong?" Ginny inquired.

"My scar is acting up a bit… it's not much, but I didn't want to break down in front of everyone incase I got sucked into a vision," he said.

"Okay, I'll come with you so I can be there if anything happens."

Harry shifted uncomfortably. "I don't know if that's a good idea, your family would notice if we both went missing and would probably assume, err-"

Ginny scowled fiercely. "Then I'll tell them to bugger out. Seriously, Harry, you were a mess after the last one, and I'm guessing that they have been getting worse and worse, regardless of your Occlumency. Anyway, I like spending time at Potter Manor and will continue to do so, whether they like it or not."

"You know, you really are cute when you get fired up," Harry remarked smiling deviously.

"You're cute when you try to change the subject. Oh well, if you'd rather spend the evening alone…" Ginny slowly walked away, sashaying her hips in a more than subtle manner. Harry groaned and then summoned her to him and quickly ported them off to Potter Manor.

"Good decision, Potter," Ginny said flirtatiously.

"I agree..." he said, claiming Ginny's lips. As he initiated the kiss, Ginny deepened it and threw her arms around him. Harry ran one hand through her hair, the other doing a bit of roaming. He did his utmost to keep it from reaching any areas that Mrs. Weasley would not approve it being near, but that was nearly impossible as Ginny melted into him.

Finally they broke apart, but remained in each other's arms, enjoying the closeness. "Harry?"

"Yes?"

Ginny blushed even before she asked her question. "How did you get so good at kissing?"

Harry shrugged. The truth was he was worried about Ginny not being satisfied with his kissing skills. "Well, I don't know Ginny… With Cho it was miserable because I didn't really mean it, you know? With you it's different… I can feel you, and something guides me when we are kissing."

Ginny beamed at him. "Me too. There's something about you that makes me feel better than just snogging." Ginny knew what it was; she had known it for a long time. She loved Harry and perhaps, just perhaps, there was a chance Harry loved her back. A part of her wanted to yell it out, but the cautious part of her told not to do anything that would embarrass her or Harry and make their relationship awkward. It had only been a few weeks since they first kissed after all. She had always felt a strong attraction towards Harry, but for Harry, this whole thing was very new. She decided to listen to her cautious side this time.

Harry smiled at her and gently brushed his lips against hers, cupping her cheek with his hand. This time their kisses were slow and lingering instead of passionate and needy. Finally they stopped, both of their lips swollen in passion.

"Ginny… I… you should be getting back now, before your parents notice."

"But what if your scar hurts again?" Ginny asked. She knew he would probably be ok, but she didn't want to leave.

"All right, but I have to go to sleep soon, I'm pretty knackered, so I won't be such great company," Harry said, torn between wanting Ginny by his side, and not wanting to be murdered by Ginny's brothers. They had been paying very close attention to Ginny's whereabouts ever since her birthday.

Ginny nodded, and watched as Harry slowly began to meditate. 'Harry-watching' was one of Ginny's favorite things to do ever since her first year. When he got up, he wished her goodnight and collapsed onto the comfortable sofa.

"Thanks for staying with me Ginny." He couldn't bring himself to tell her that his scar was no longer prickling, because it felt so good to not be alone. He couldn't explain it, but when he broke out of Privet Drive and began training all day, his life was much better than before, but it still seemed… colorless. Ginny had brought color back into his life.

Harry transfigured his sofa so it was much wider and shyly said, "Erm… well, if I can't convince you to leave, I suppose you should make yourself comfortable."

Ginny smiled slyly, making Harry blush. "Oh, I will, I most certainly will," she said, lying down right next to Harry, even though the sofa held more than plenty of room for the both of them. She placed his arm around her and placed her head on his chest.

Before long they were both sleeping contentedly in each other's arms. Mrs. Weasley, on the other hand, just couldn't get to sleep. After an hour or two of twisting and turning while her mind was churning, she prodded her husband. When he did not wake, she jabbed him in the stomach. "Arthur… wake up," she said in an exasperated tone.

"Whassa matter, Molly?" he said groggily.

"It's midnight," she said waspishly.

"Umm, yeah? Why aren't you asleep." Mr. Weasley clearly did not understand the situation.

"Because our fifteen year old daughter STILL isn't home!" Mrs. Weasley shouted, pulling him out of his sleepy haze.

"Molly… did she say she was going to-"

"They disappeared at the same time! They're all alone in Harry's house! THEY-"

"Now Molly dear, we don't know for sure-" His attempt to calm her down failed miserably.

"How could they not be? You know how Ginny is… she would do anything for him, and from the look I see in her eyes, I know she wants it from him, too. And Harry… he never has gotten the Talk… he… she… We have to do something!" she said frantically, pacing about the room.

Arthur sighed. He knew what it was like to be Harry's age, and he knew that Harry felt as strongly for Ginny as he did for Molly. Molly probably was right in her assessment of what they were up to. His first instinct was to keep Ginny far away from Harry, and to forbid her from leaving Grimmauld Place. However, he quickly realized that course of action would just make the problem worse. Harry seemed to be able to Apparate in Grimmauld Place, and Ginny was one of the only people allowed in Harry's mysterious home. From his children's tales of their adventures at Hogwarts, Harry seemed to have a way to move through the castle as well. No, if they wanted to be together, they would. What was needed in this situation was to have a serious talk with Ginny and Harry. As much as he liked Harry, the idea of having this type of talk with him made him shudder, so he decided to ask Remus to do it. Hopefully that would keep the children from having sex, but if it didn't, they would at least know about contraceptives…

"Molly, we cannot do anything rash-"

"Arthur! You cannot expect me to go back to sleep while my daughter is out doing Merlin-knows-what-" she yelled furiously. Luckily Arthur had casted a Silencing Charm around the room.

"We cannot do anything rash because we are not in control of the situation. We cannot reach them now, but tomorrow, we will give Ginny a serious talk-"

"BY WHICH TIME SHE COULD HAVE BEEN IMPREGNATED BY HARRY! He didn't have anyone to tell him about contraceptives. And Ginny… I hadn't told her yet… I thought it wasn't a problem…" The Weasley matriarch was wailing as she reached the end of her sentence.

"Now Molly, we don't know for sure that they slept together. They may have just…erm… held each other or something. Listen, you need to calm down, you are overreacting. For all we know, Ginny might not even be with Harry," Arthur said, not really convinced by his own statement, but it did bring a sliver of hope on to his wife's face, so he continued, "and even in the event that they did, Harry is a sharp young man, he may have known about some of the dangers. We should not assume the worst."

Mrs. Weasley suddenly had idea and shot out their bedroom, heading straight to the family clock. "Ar-Arthur… it says… it says Ginny's home."

Mr. Weasley looked at the clock strangely. "If she isn't here, than it means Harry's place must be another home for her. Molly let's go back to bed. As soon as the morning comes, we will talk to them. It's all we can do."

Mrs. Weasley sighed and Arthur led her back to their room. It was a long time before they could get any sleep.

Harry awoke in the morning, yawning loudly. A huge smile erupted on his face as he realized why his vision was blinded by a red mass of hair that smelled of wildflowers. He tried to get up, but he found that his legs were entwined with Ginny's, and his arm was around her. He kissed her on the forehead, and began to slowly wake her. Checking his watch, he realized that in about thirty minutes, the Weasleys would be waking up.

Harry smiled at Ginny's refusal to wake. There was only one thing to do, Harry realized with a chuckle. He began to tickle her softly, gradually increasing the tempo of his tickling until she her eyes opened angrily.

"HARRY! Gerroff me…" she yelled furiously, forcing the words out between squeals from being tickled. He stopped, but not after admiring how cute she was when furious.

"Morning Gin. We have to get you back to Grimmauld now. Otherwise your whole family will kill me," he said grimacing.

"Oh bugger…" Ginny mumbled. "Harry? Uh… can I borrow your Invisibility Cloak?"

"Funny, just hilarious," Harry said rolling his yes. "I'll come by and see you later. I'm going to drop you off in your room." He grabbed her arm to transport them into Ginny's room, laying her softly on the bed. "You can go to sleep now." He lingered by her side a minute more and then made to leave. When he turned around, he saw a red-eyed Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, who looked like they hadn't got any sleep. "Err…" Harry began lamely. How the hell was he going to talk his way out of this one?

"Harry, sit down, we need to talk," Mr. Weasley said, not angrily, but in such a way that Harry knew he had no choice.

Mrs. Weasley moved to Ginny, saying, "Ginny, where were you last night."

Ginny sighed, this was not a discussion she wanted to have with her parents; not today, and not ever. "Harry's," she answered.

Mr. Weasley's brow furrowed and Mrs. Weasley was mumbling something under her breath. "Arthur, I told you! I told you, but you just brushed it off, again and again…"

Before anyone could say anything, Ginny blurted out, "No, we didn't." She looked away from them angrily and muttered, "But if we did, it wouldn't be any of your business."

The parents were so relieved by their daughter's first statement that they missed her mumbling. "You don't know how relieved I am to hear that…" Mr. Weasley said.

Harry and Ginny didn't know what else to say, so Mrs. Weasley filled in the gap. "Ginny, next time you decide to leave Grimmauld Place, we need to know beforehand. And you may not stay overnight. Your curfew is nine o'clock, got that?"

Ginny nodded her head, a frown on her face. She did not like being told where she could go or not go, but at least she wasn't being sent off to a nunnery…

"Harry, uh… did Remus ever give you… the talk?" Arthur asked uneasily.

"Sirius did, don't worry," Harry said, slightly embarrassed.

Unfortunately, that caused the parents to worry more. "He uh, he gave me the proper one too, about, you know, err, waiting and contraceptives," Harry said uneasily. Harry failed to notify them that Sirius had also talked to him about the 100 ways to please your witch…

This caused Arthur to look a bit relieved. Molly nodded at him, and he led Harry from the room, leaving the two women alone to talk about Merlin-knows-what.

"Harry, I know you will always treat Ginny well, and would never pressure her. I think Molly and I have always hoped for you to notice Ginny… Well, what I am trying to get at is that we do approve, but it is hard for us to accept that your relationship is progressing so fast. Two weeks ago you were blushing whenever she gave you a hug." Arthur's tone was serious, but tinged with sadness.

"We haven't-"

"I know that. I also know it will not be long before you two do. That is hard for me to accept. As Ginny's parents, we were hoping to at least keep her to ourselves until she turned seventeen. Part of me wants to try to force you to wait that long, but I know my interference won't change things. So I will just ask that you wait as long as you can. Do you know how happy it would make Molly to one day give Ginny the perfect wedding?"

Harry decided that what Mr. Weasley was saying was reasonable. Was it true that their relationship was progressing too fast on the physical side? Harry knew that some other boys his age certainly had 'gone farther' than he had… but on the other hand, Ginny was only fifteen. Perhaps he had been unknowingly pressuring her? "Okay, I understand," he said, briefly looking into Mr. Weasley's eyes to see them fill with relief.

Mr. Weasley gripped Harry's shoulder. "Thank you, Harry. And good luck with Ginny's brothers. I believe they noticed Ginny's absence last night."

Harry's face turned white as Ginny's father left the room. For some reason, he felt the urge to stay in Potter Manor for the rest of the week. However, then they would just assault Ginny with questions and Harry didn't want that to happen. He listened in on Ginny's door, hearing her mother still talking. Harry shuddered, as weird as it was to talk with Mr. Weasley about dating Ginny, it would be much worse to have a similar discussion with Ginny's mother.

He ported back to Potter Manor, doing his normal exercises. After Tonks's lesson, she gave him a few books about martial arts. Lupin taught him about a spell that would place a Globular Shield around another person. It took a lot of energy to cast and maintain, but it would be useful if one of his friends got into trouble.

His phoenix Animagus training was going quite well; he could already manage to transfigure both wings. Soon, he would go for the full transformation. His wandless work had improved too, he was now able to cast two spells at a time, one with a wand and one without, although his spells cast without a wand were a bit weaker and required more energy. Harry owed most of this to the Half-Blood Prince. Without his tips on learning wandless magic, Harry wouldn't have had such ease with his Animagus transformation. Also, practicing all of those powerful dark spells on dummies had increased his magical stamina. While he still didn't feel comfortable using many of the darker spells, he reminded himself that Azkaban was no longer able to hold its prisoners. Harry's enemies would be using spells like that against him and if he didn't want to become food for Nagini, he would have to be able to fight fire with fire. He was still wondering who this Half-Blood Prince was, but it didn't really matter, did it? Even if it was Voldemort's book that only meant that Harry should learn every trick Voldemort was likely to throw at him, right?

The rest of the week passed by quite quickly and soon Harry was packing his trunk for Hogwarts. He had bought an expensive magical trunk that had five compartments and lots of locking measures. There was enough room inside for him to live there if he wanted, or practice spells if he needed. He didn't want anyone to see any of his books, especially _Tome of Shadows_. Harry shuddered as the image of Hermione confronting him about his books came to his mind. He had books about Aanimagi, disguises, dark magic, defensive magic, wards, martial arts… If anyone found them, it would be pretty obvious what he was up to.

Ginny's brothers were still wary of Harry, sometimes giving him warning glances or narrowing their eyes when they noticed the pair holding hands, but all in all, their reactions were better than Harry had expected. Mr. Weasley had told them that he had the situation under control, and they were not to interfere, even if they thought it was for Ginny's own good. Bill, who Harry didn't know that well, had given Harry a talk about exactly how far he could go, but that was the worst of the warnings.

What Harry was worried about, however, was the way Ginny's brothers were treating her. Harry wasn't around when the Weasley sons had talked to Ginny, but Harry knew from their interactions that there was some tension in Grimmauld Place. Ginny said that they had gotten off of her back, but she did not volunteer any more information. Harry decided that he wouldn't push her; she seemed glad to be in a relationship with him and Harry did not want to ruin that by being overly nosey.

Before long, they were all headed to the Hogwarts Express. After they reached the platform, Mrs. Weasley wrapped Ginny into a hug, telling her to stay out of trouble and to write every week.

Fred and George, who were wearing stylish dragonhide vests said goodbye next. "Make sure you continue our legacy! Give Snape hell! We will be coming to the first Quidditch game."

"Boys! Don't give them any ideas. Now, you three have a great term, and no mischief," Mrs. Weasley chided. She looked at Harry, probably to tell him to make sure he got enough to eat, but this time, she could hardly say that. "Take care of yourself, dear."

"I will Mrs. Weasley," Harry said smiling.

Harry led his three friends into an empty compartment, quickly placing wards around his compartment that would give Malfoy a nasty surprise when he made his yearly train visit. Unfortunately, Hermione caught his subtle movement. "Harry, what was that?"

Harry decided to play innocent. "Huh?"

Hermione frowned in frustration. "You know what. I saw you reach into your pocket for your wand and move it in a pattern and I saw a faint glimmer shoot towards the doorway. But you didn't say anything."

Harry shrugged. "Dunno what you're on about. I reached into my pocket to make sure my wand was there. Say, there comes Neville and Luna." Harry grinned as Hermione let out a huff of annoyance.

Neville slowly poked his head in, saying, "Mind if we join you? All the other compartments are full."

"Sure, come on in," Harry said politely. After they had settled themselves, Harry asked him what he had done over the summer.

For some reason this caused both Neville and Luna to blush. "Uh… I invited Luna to stay at Gran's because her father was off searching for the… errm-"

"Crumple-Horned Snorkack," Luna supplied quickly. "He had to leave because there was a sighting in France that he simply had to investigate, so I stayed at Neville's house."

Ginny smiled at her strange friend and then looked towards Neville. "Congrats Luna. I knew it would happen sooner or later."

Ron, displaying his famous thickness, said, "What would happen sooner or later?"

Neville blushed and then said, "We're dating."

"Good for you mate," Harry said, clapping him on the back. It would be good for Neville to have a girlfriend. Harry knew how lonely it could be without any siblings or parents…

As the six of them discussed their various summer vacations, Harry heard a buzzing that signaled that Malfoy was incoming. He tensed up, and placed his hand on his wand.

Sure enough, their compartment door slowly opened, revealing Malfoy and his two goons. "Ah…If it isn't Potty and the blood-traitors…" Malfoy sniffed the air with his nose held high. "…And from that smell, a mudblood."

Ron jumped up, ready to ram his fist into the Malfoy's nose, but Harry stopped him, pointing at Malfoy's robes. Slowly, they began to get more and more faded and frayed.

Thoroughly enjoying Malfoy's look of horror, Harry said, "What's the matter, Malfoy? I suppose with your father in Azkaban all summer, funds may have been a little short… but still, one would expect that you could at the very least afford decent robes. Oh well, I suppose everyone in the castle will soon be seeing the result of your father joining old Voldieshorts." By this time, tears and rips were now breaking out on Malfoy's robes. Even Crabbe and Goyle looked at their leader strangely.

"Potter! You did this! You will-" Draco's furious screaming was interrupted by Crabbe and Goyle pointing wildly at him. White fur was starting to erupt from his skin, causing him to look like a cross between a man and a ferret. By this point, Ron, Ginny, and Neville were bursting in laughter, but Hermione was watching Harry fixedly, completely ignoring Malfoy.

Malfoy whipped out his wand, screaming, "DIFFINDO"

Harry wandlessly conjured a strong shield and reflected the curse up to the ceiling. The curse sliced a pretty large chunk of the ceiling and Harry was quite glad he had blocked it. Harry waved his wand, activating the last part of his wards, which flung Malfoy out of the compartment and tightly sealed the door. Ron was doubled over in laughter, Ginny was snickering madly, but Hermione looked like she was about to explode.

"Harry! How in the world did you do that?" she yelled, causing Harry to wince.

"Mione, how does it matter, it was bloody brilliant! Did you see the look on his-" Ron stopped when he saw the look on Hermione's face.

"Harry! You did something when we came in, you know it!"

Harry sighed, answering, "I knew he was going to come, so I left him a trap."

Ginny giggled, "And a brilliant one at that. How long will it last?" Harry shot a grateful look at Ginny. She really could be a lifesaver…

"About four hours," Harry said, causing laughter to ring through the compartment.

"Bloody brilliant, Harry! I was going to beat the git to shreds, but this is so much better! We didn't do him any bodily harm so you can't even get detention," Ron said enthusiastically. "He'll have to go to the feast like that, unless Snape fixes him up!"

"We haven't learned about wards…. Oh my… Harry, wards aren't taught until seventh year, and even then they only teach very basic ones…" Hermione said, her brain churning furiously.

Harry sighed, knowing that Hermione was going to be keeping a very sharp eye on him in the future. "I just mixed a few wards and added a couple of the twins' inventions. Calm down Hermione… you would think I did something wrong or something…"

"You shouldn't have provoked him! The spell he cast could have killed you!" Hermione snarled.

Ginny rose to Harry's defense quite fiercely, "He provoked US like Harry knew he would, and Harry made sure that we were protected. We told you that Malfoy has some sort of mission, so it can't hurt to be too careful."

Hermione sat there stunned, reluctantly accepting the fact that Ginny had a point. "But how in the world did you wordlessly block a powerful Cutting Curse? I didn't even see you move your wand."

Harry groaned, how was he going to get his way out of that one? A part of him wanted to just tell Hermione to stuff it and just enjoy the fact that Malfoy got what was coming to him, but he knew that doing that would just make their friendship deteriorate. "Err…"

Neville saved him the headache of dealing with Hermione by saying, "Hermione, leave it. Harry doesn't owe you an explanation for his every action, but he gave you one any way."

"Fine!"she huffed, turning away from them. She decided she would go to the library immediately and research wards. She knew Harry had been training, but she meant to find out exactly what he had been hiding from them. Of course, it did not cross her mind that this attitude of hers was precisely why he had been hiding things…

Harry nodded at Neville in thanks, surprised by his show of loyalty. Looking back at Hermione and literally hearing the gears in her brain grinding, he looked tiredly at Ginny. She smiled reassuringly at him, reminding him that he would always have one person who understood him. Harry gently placed his head in Ginny's lap while she absently ran her fingers through his hair. Soon Harry was asleep, while Ginny and Luna were discussing how their respective boyfriends had come to their senses, a conversation that caused Neville to turn red. Ron was trying to hold a conversation with Hermione, but he could tell that Hermione's mind was occupied on another subject. Ron turned to Neville and struck up a conversation about which classes they were taking. Neither of them had gotten an Outstanding on their Potions O.W.L, so neither would be taking Potions. When they began to talk about who the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher would be, Hermione joined in the conversation.

"Well, I asked Dad, who said he didn't know who it was, but that he was fairly sure it wasn't someone from the Ministry," Ron said.

"Well, Dumbledore probably found someone," Hermione said reassuringly.

Neville noticed that Harry was awake and asked, "Harry, are you… are you going to run the DA again this year?"

Harry truly hadn't thought about that, so he took a while before answering. "I don't know. As long as our new professor is decent, I don't think we will need it. What do you guys think?"

"I rather enjoyed last year's club… It was almost like having friends," said a dreamy voice that could only belong to one person.

"Luna! We're your friends," Ginny said quickly.

Luna looked thoughtful for a moment, and then said, "Thank you."

"I thought the DA was great. It's the only reason I got an O.W.L. in Defense Against the Dark Arts, and it really helped in the Department of Mysteries. If you don't want to do it, then that's fine… But I hope you teach it. One day, I'll meet Bellatrix Lestrange and she will pay for what she has done," Neville said angrily.

"She already has, Neville…" Harry said, looking sadly at his hands.

Neville's face showed no emotion. Finally he said a soft "oh".

Harry thought about whether or not he should run the DA this year. He didn't really have that much free time with Quidditch, his training, and Ginny's training, but he did feel like it would be a useful thing to do, especially as Voldemort was recruiting more and more Death Eaters. Finally he reached a decision, which he felt good about. He would train the five people here in his compartment secretly, without anyone else knowing. Since they were all nearly at the same skill level, it would work out well. He wouldn't have to worry about people like Zacharias Smith and Cho Chang, and with fewer students to worry about, he could teach them faster. "I'm not going to continue the DA, but if you five want, I can train you to fight," he said looking at each of them.

Neville responded to Harry first. "Thanks… it really does mean a lot to me."

Ginny nodded at Harry, squeezing his hand. "I'll join Harry's Army."

"Err… can we not call it that?" Harry said uneasily.

"Okay… we don't have to call it anything, really. But that's how I see it. You're the leader, and we're here to stand by your side," Ginny replied firmly.

"Count me in, mate," Ron said, nodding quickly at Harry.

"I shall partake in your army," Luna replied, looking at Harry with one eye and her magazine with the other.

Everyone now looked at Hermione. "I… Of course I'll join," she replied smiling.

Harry looked at each of them seriously. "Well, there are a few things we need to agree upon if we are going to do this. First of which is that no matter what, you may not tell Dumbledore, your parents, ANYONE, about what goes on in training. I don't care what your reasons are, you have to promise you will not talk to them unless you ask me first and I give you permission to. This is no joke… If I find out that you either have talked to him or plan to talk to him, I will Obliviate you and you will no longer be training with us."

Everyone quickly promised, except Hermione. "Why can't we tell Dumbledore? Surely we're not doing anything he wouldn't approve of… He's the headmaster… we have to-"

Harry sighed. "We are going to be doing many things that the headmaster doesn't approve of and can't know about. Which leads me to my second rule: You can't constantly question everything I teach. You will just have to accept it."

Hermione looked ready to explode, but Ginny cut in. "Of course, Harry. We trust that you're doing what's best."

"Yeah… you know what we need to learn, and I'll do my best to learn it. As I said earlier, you owe us no explanations," Neville said loyally.

"Th-thanks Neville," Harry said gratefully, again rather touched by Neville's show of loyalty. "I will do my best to train you to fight, but I won't be using traditional methods. Hermione, I know you don't like doing anything rash, but I'm afraid this whole thing will be rash, and you will just have to get used to it."

Hermione was about to challenge Harry, but then she realized if she did, Harry probably wouldn't train her. The training would present an opportunity for her to figure out more about Harry. "Okay, I agree," she said simply, barely making eye contact.

By the time Harry had managed to get everyone's agreement, they had arrived at Hogwarts. They filed into the Great Hall, sitting next to each other in the Gryffindor table. After all the new students had been sorted into their respective houses, they dug into the feast.

"Aree, kee'noi ou ditch players," Ron said, causing Hermione to scold him for speaking with his mouth full.

"What was that Ron?" Harry asked absently, too busy staring at the staff table.

"I said quite clearly to keep an eye out for new Quidditch players. We need two Chasers and two Beaters," Ron said exasperatedly.

"Do you think that fat man is our new Defense professor?" Harry asked after nodding to Ron's question.

"The one who's eating more than Ron?" Ginny asked, smirking at her brother's indignation.

"Yeah…I can't think of what else he would teach," Harry said, focusing on the short, bald man. He didn't look malicious like Umbridge, but neither did he look like a great person for Defense Against the Dark Arts.

"Shh! We will find out in a minute," Hermione said, pointing to Dumbledore, who was standing and preparing to give his speech.

"I would like to welcome all of you back to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. While you are enjoying the feast, I have a few announcements to make. First of all, I would like to welcome Professor Slughorn to our staff. He will be teaching Potions-"

"WHAT!" Harry yelled, not believing what he was hearing. He looked at Snape's triumphant face and looked at Dumbledore in pure rage. How could that old fool give Snape the Defense Against the Dark Arts post?

Everyone's head swung towards Harry, and Harry colored, realizing he had just shouted at the top of his voice.

"-While Professor Snape will be filling the Defense Against the Dark Arts post."

Harry whirled towards his friends, unable to catch Dumbledore's eye. "What the hell is Dumbledore playing at?" he asked furiously. Harry glared at the Headmaster, his eyes burning for some sort of answer, but Dumbledore simply continued, stating Filch's rules.

"We don't know, but I'm guessing the only other option was to have the Ministry appoint someone," Ginny said reasonably.

Harry thought furiously for a minute, then turned to his six friends and said, "You guys have to learn Occlumency immediately. Snape uses Legilimency in class, and he can't find out anything. I'm assuming you guys are all beginners?"

"I've been practicing… I didn't want to accidentally give away anything," Ginny said, hoping Harry wouldn't be mad that she had gone through his book on the subject.

The others said they didn't know anything about Occlumency. Harry looked at Luna, sitting alone at the Ravenclaw table. He caught her eye and beckoned her over.

"Hey Luna. I was wondering whether you knew how to Occlumency by any chance?"

Luna looked at him strangely and asked, "What's that?"

Harry sighed and gave her a short explanation of Occlumency and its importance.

"I have a Rumpled-Wazkork Wall around my brain. That should keep Snape out."

Harry didn't know what to say. Hermione snorted, and Ron paid more attention to his dessert.

"Maybe you should test her," Ginny replied.

Harry nodded and entered her mind. He suddenly was overwhelmed by a strange force, which shoved him out of her mind. The strange thing was, Luna didn't seem to even be putting any effort into her mind protections.

"Err… well… Wow, Luna's got it down," Harry remarked. "I'll give you each a book tonight, and you need to practice it nightly. Believe me, I will know if you haven't practiced," Harry said the last statement evilly, remembering how it had been said to him.

Harry looked towards Ginny, silently asking if he could test how accomplished she was at Occlumency. She nodded, and Harry invaded her mind. Harry probed gently, but still managing to force his way through. He used his abilities as a Legilmens to implant words in her mind. "_Not bad Ginny, you will be able to block me out after a few weeks of practice. If you work on learning a bit of Legilimency, we can talk to each other without speaking, as long as we have eye contact._" With that said, he withdrew from her mind as gently as possible.

Ginny smiled and nodded at him. "So when are we going to meet first," she asked, referring to their training sessions.

Harry thought about it for a few seconds and then replied, "We can meet tomorrow morning at five thirty sharp. Wear something you can run in." A wicked smile crossed his face as he saw their reactions. Ginny wasn't overly surprised, since she had seen Harry exercising over the summer, but Ron and Hermione's mouths flapped open in disbelief.

"Harry, what's that got to do with anything," Ron blurted out, looking at his friend like he had sprouted an extra head. "And five thirty in the morning? I can't…"

"Why do we need to run? Shouldn't we be continuing where we left off in the DA? I have a whole syllabus of spells planned," Hermione said with a frown on her face.

Harry was tempted to just say "Because I said so," but decided that it was a reasonable question. For wizards, the extent of physical training was Quidditch. "Because in order to fight, you need to learn how to move quickly. Running will help your reflexes as well as your endurance. And I will also teach you some martial arts, which can be very useful. Death Eaters generally don't take the time to learn how to use their bodies as a weapon, so this will be an advantage you can have over them," he explained patiently, hoping they would just accept it.

Neville came to Harry's aid, saying, "Well, I think it's a good idea."

Luna nodded her approval. "Yes, it would be nice to see Neville get a six-pack."

Harry chuckled at Neville's red face. He then looked towards Ron and said, "See Ron, Hermione will be all over you."

Ron looked away and mumbled something that probably would have gotten him into trouble with his mother. Hermione blushed furiously, but told Harry that they would be there.

"Okay, every morning we will meet at that time at the Quidditch pitch. I'll work with you guys on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday on spells. Every night, try to spend half an hour on Occlumency," Harry said, looking at each one of them and trying to gauge their reactions. He used a little bit of Legilimency on them, just barely enough to read their emotions. Ron was a little surprised at how much work they would have to put in, but he figured that the results would be worth it, so he would do it. Hermione was thinking that she would go along with Harry's plan for now, and make a judgment after she found out what they were being taught in the magical lessons. She was also planning a few trips to the library.

"Yeah… ok," Ron said. "I hope you know what you're doing."

Hermione just nodded to Harry. "Ok, well prefects need to show first years to their rooms." When Ron made no motion to move, Hermione huffed at him and repeated that they had duties to perform.

"Mione… The fifth years will handle the midg-"

"Ronald Weasley! We need to set a good example this year. I suggest you follow me now." Hermione grabbed his hand and marched him out of the hall.

After the four friends shared a chuckle, they left to their dorms. Harry and Ginny sat on the couch in the common room.

"Harry? I was thinking… you seemed really busy, you don't have to keep training me separately also-" Ginny said uneasily.

"Stop it, Gin. I know I don't have to, but I want to. In fact, wanna go work on your lioness right now?" Harry said smiling, giving her a quick kiss on the cheek.

Ginny nodded, and they left, under the cloak to the Room of Requirement. "Okay, I think you're about ready to try transforming your hand. Hold it out, and channel all of your magic into it. Picture the golden paw in your mind and concentrate on it."

Ginny nodded, closing her eyes and doing what Harry asked, but nothing happened. "Harry…I-"

"Just try it again and again, it took me long enough as well," Harry said reassuringly.

This time, Ginny produced golden fur along the back of her hand and forearm, yet the shape of her hand stayed the same. She looked excited by her results and tried to fully transform her paw, but she couldn't make that work.

"Here, hold my hand," Harry said, offering a hand to Ginny. She grabbed it and he said, "Now feel the way each bone changes." He slowly changed his hand into a paw, allowing her to feel the manner in which each bone in his hand reshaped. "Now, I'm going to transfigure your hand for you, so you know what it feels like." He did so, and Ginny looked at her paw in awe.

"It feels weird… but nice," Ginny said, waving it around and extending the claws.

"That's how it felt for me too. Okay now I'll transfigure it back and it will be your turn," Harry said encouragingly.

Ginny's face tightened in concentration. Holding her hand out, she gave it one last try, putting everything she had into it. She squealed as it began to transform slowly. She waved the paw around in delight.

"Congrats, Gin. I knew you could do it."

Ginny responded by planting her lips on his and snogging him passionately, showing him exactly how grateful she was that he would take the time to teach her.

Nearly an hour later, they stopped enjoying each other's mouths and decided to head back before anyone got suspicious. On their way back to the Gryffindor common room, they heard footsteps. Harry quickly grabbed Ginny and pulled her close to him, draping the invisibility cloak over their heads. They saw two figures coming, but it was dark and they couldn't see who they were. One of them entered a broom closet and then yanked the other inside.

Harry chuckled and said to Ginny, "I bet it's Ron and Hermione."

"Check with the map," she suggested, referring to the Marauder's Map that Harry had taken to keeping with him at all times.

"Yup. Weasley and Granger… Ginny, I believe you are good at imitating voices?" Harry asked deviously.

"I'm decent at it…"

"Do McGonagall," Harry said, an evil grin on his face.

They moved towards the cupboard door and Ginny took a deep breath. "MISS GRANGER! How dare you abuse your prefect duties in such a way. You and Mr. Weasley have shamed the house of Gryffindor by your inappropriate behavior. Come out this instant and give me your prefect badges!" Ginny yelled in McGonagall's harsh Scottish tone. Harry had to shove his fist into his mouth so he wouldn't laugh.

A horrified Hermione and stunned Ron slowly emerged from to closet. Seeing their facial expressions as well as their mussed up hair caused a small laugh to escape Harry's mouth.

Hermione began to stammer madly, trying to apologize and come up with excuses that would save her prefect badge, while Ron stood dumbfounded and looked stunned. It was a whole minute before either of them realized that there was no professor standing in front of them.

Hermione was the first of the two to realize what was going on. "HARRY!" she screamed, but Harry and Ginny had already rushed off to their dorms.

!#$$$#$#$$(&!$#$#

Now tell me what you think! Do you think that Harry should tell Hermione to stuff it? Or should he be gentle and caring and show Hermione the light? Or perhaps some combination of the two?

I already have what I'm going to do outlined, but it's not set in stone. I would like to hear your suggestions.

One other little note: This is a H/G story. So if you didn't like the bits of fluff… either ignore them, since H/G will not be the main focus, or read something else. H/G isn't my favorite pairing, I'll tell you that right now, but I didn't want to right another of those stories where Harry goes independent, has sex with a range of females, from Narcissa to Luna, and gets power without working to hard for it. I love those fics, but I just don't want to write one.

Harry will get more and more "Badass" or "dark/grey" or bold, whatever you want to call it, as the story progresses. So if that's the stuff you like, it will come soon. First Harry has to 'get there', for lack of a better term. One month ago, Harry was a dependent child. He will need time to become the man who radiates power and determination. A lot of fics have Harry get a huge power surge while sitting at Privet Drive; in my story, Harry will become very powerful, but over time.

Thanks to my reviewers, that's what has been keeping me writing instead of playing World of Warcraft (I know, I'm such a nerd)


	6. Chapter 6: Frustrations and Altercations

6. Frustrations and Altercations

Harry's alarm beeped at precisely five thirty in the morning, pulling him out of a dream he'd rather not be pulled out of. He rolled over and threw a pillow at Ron, who was showing no signs of having heard the loud beeps.

"Oi! Ron."

The gangly red-haired boy slowly moved his head and groggily replied, "Whassat?"

"Get up and get ready," Harry said impatiently, tapping his foot.

"But…but...later, not now," said Ron, only moving his mouth as he spoke so that the rest of his body could maintain the illusion of sleep.

"Yes now, or I'll tell Hermione you were calling her name in your sleep," Harry said waspishly.

Ron shuffled and slowly extricated himself from his bed, grumbling and cursing the whole way. Suddenly, he looked at Harry in a mixture of anger and smugness. "It was you, wasn't it?"

Harry put on a look of innocence that he had been getting a lot of practice at. "I dunno what you're on about, mate…. Oi! Neville, hurry up."

"Bloody prat… gave Mione us a heart attack," Ron mumbled, looking away and donning his workout clothes.

"Close, but no cigar," Harry said, the Muggle saying flying over Ron's head. "Let's go."

As the three boys went out to the Quidditch pitch, they met Hermione, Ginny, and Luna along the way. Ginny looked as tired and grumpy as her brother, Hermione looked a little anxious, and Luna looked just as dreamy as always.

They walked to the Quidditch pitch, Ginny giving him an earful about waking up at this inhumane hour, and Hermione glaring daggers at the two of them.

"Okay, listen up. First, we all need to stretch. Just do what I do," Harry said authoritatively, proceeding to lead them through a series of stretches.

"Harry, why exactly are we doing this?" Hermione asked curiously, voicing a question that the others also wanted an answer to.

Before Harry could answer, Luna said, "To get the Norgles out of your muscles, of course."

"I thought those were in mistletoe?" Harry asked curiously, ignoring Hermione's exasperated look.

"No, those are _Nargles_, Norgles get in to your muscles and bite you if you use a muscle too much."

"Uhuh, well that basically is the reason we are stretching," Harry said chuckling. "All right follow me." Harry started jogging slowly, just a little bit quicker than a fast walk.

They were keeping up with him without a problem for the first lap, but then Harry sped up, bringing the jog to an actual jog. After the second lap, Harry looked back to see his friends trailing behind, red-cheeked and puffing. Harry sighed and slowed down, shouting, "All right, that's enough for today."

"I guess we have a long way to go, Harry," Ginny said, breathing heavily and looking disappointed.

"Don't get yourself down, Gin. I was even worse my first day. If you just do it everyday, it will get easier," Harry said encouragingly.

Ron mumbled something negative, but the rest of the group seemed fairly determined. Harry's dueling prowess at Diagon Alley had showed them that he did know what he was talking about.

"Now we're going to do alternating sets of push-ups and sit-ups. Do as many as many as you can, remember the number, and then do as many sit-ups as you can. Let's try to repeat that three times," Harry said doing them with his friends. He decided they should work a bit on basic exercises before they jumped to machines and weights.

After their sets of push-ups and sit-ups, Harry conjured six bars and placed them a few feet over each person's shoulders, instructing them to do pull-ups. After a good half an hour more of grunts and groans as Harry led them through a series of exercises, Ron's stomach gave an extremely loud growl. Harry checked his watch, realizing that breakfast had just started.

"Well guys, not bad for the first day. We will meet here tomorrow, so try to be here at 5:30 sharp, because I plan to teach you guys a bit of martial arts," Harry said, looking around at his friends with a feral grin, knowing that tomorrow they wouldn't want to move a muscle. "After dinner today, I thought we could have our first DA… well, first magical training session."

"What are you going to be teaching us?" Hermione asked quickly. Harry noticed that everyone else seemed very interested in his answer.

"It's a surprise," Harry said smugly. "Ok…ok…I will tell you that we are going to work on dueling."

"Harry? How come you're training Ginny more than us?" Hermione asked, piercing him with her shrewd eyes.

"Hmm? Uh… how did you find out?" Harry asked, having no idea how he was going to talk himself out of this question.

Harry glanced at Ginny, but he saw that her eyebrows also furrowed in a look of confusion.

Hermione let out a huff. "Really… it's obvious considering the fact that whenever she would come back from your place she would be tired."

"Well, she may not have been tired from extra training…" Harry trailed off with a smirk.

"Harry! What do you mean by that?" Ron shouted, his ears turning red.

Hermione cut Ron off and rolled her eyes. "I meant that she is magically tired. I can tell the difference…"

"Because he was being a noble prat and saying we should break up so I become less of a target to the Death Eaters…" Ginny said, rolling her eyes.

"And then we agreed that instead we would just look out for each other," Harry interjected. Harry then donned a serious expression. "Guys, on a serious note, Voldemort is up to something, and so is Malfoy. I don't know what it is and I don't think Dumbledore knows either. However, I do know that he has cast two of the Unforgivables, and to receive the Dark Mark, you need to cast all three. We have to keep an eye out for each other."

"Harry, why haven't you told Dumbledore? Surely he can take care of-"

"He knows. So does Snape. I cannot believe I'm saying this, but Snape and I actually agreed that Malfoy should be expelled," Harry said darkly.

"But I don't understand, why would Dumbledore keep him here if he's a danger to-"

Harry once again interrupted his bushy haired friend with a long sigh. "Because he believes Malfoy may turn over a new leaf… Bullocks if you ask me." Harry looked seriously at everyone's face, his eyes lingering on Ginny's. "Unlike Dumbledore, I won't risk the lives of my friends on the slight chance that Malfoy becomes a saint."

Ginny squeezed his hand, but the rest of them just nodded. Harry supposed that they were having trouble digesting what he said about Dumbledore.

Hermione looked thoughtful, but then she shrugged away her expression. "…Well, we better get to breakfast now… we will watch out for each other, don't worry."

After they cleaned up and returned to the Great Hall for breakfast, McGonagall began to stride along their table, handing out schedules. Harry inspected his with a groan. It would seem that he would have to continue Potions with this new Slughorn fellow since five classes were required. Harry sighed, realizing he had none other than double Defense Against the Dark Arts with Snape, followed by double Potions scheduled for today.

"Dud bley snaze toay…"

"Ronald! How many times do we have to tell you to not speak with your mouth full… Honestly!" Hermione scolded, although Harry noticed it wasn't with its usual harshness.

"Care to repeat that in English?" Neville said with a chuckle.

"What I said was that we have double Snape today… Merlin, you guys going deaf or something?"

After thoroughly rolling their eyes, Ginny changed the topic by asking when Quidditch tryouts would be.

Harry shot her a grin, knowing she was very excited about tryouts. "Tomorrow. We need two Chasers and two Beaters. Spread the word."

"Harry, I was thinking that if we got a reserve team together and had them practice, it would be really useful if… you know," Ron said thoughtfully.

"While I don't think half our team will be getting banned this year, but that's a great idea. Next year Katie is graduating and if we already have a Chaser trained up it will make things easier. Plus, if I decide to get hospitalized multiple times this year…" Harry said chuckling.

"Don't even think about it," Ginny said fiercely.

Hermione came in between their conversation, reminding them that it would not do to be late to their first class and hauled them off to Snape's dungeon.

Upon entering, Harry rammed up his mental shields and sat far away from any Slytherins.

"Potter! You think you can simply waltz in here, five minutes after class-" the oily voice of Severus Snape sneered. "Ahem… take a seat now Malfoy." Harry clenched his fist in anger as he realized that he arrived earlier than Malfoy. "Ten points from Gryffindor. Now this is a N.E.W.T. level class and I have very high standards. _When_ some of you-" Snape glared at Harry with a smug expression written across his face. "-fail to meet those standards, you shall be happily removed from this class… Now Defense Against the Dark Arts is not a subject I expect many of you to grasp, due to the willpower and skill required to combat the terrible power the Dark Arts have. To defend yourself you need to do more than memorize silly school books." Snape shot a smirk at Hermione and then continued. "Rather one must combat the raw, untamed, forces of the night with one's own magic. Simple spells will work against the likes of boggarts, but to have a fighting chance against the sheer terror of a Dementor or the pain caused by the Cruciatus Curse, you will need to meet the power with your own, something I expect many of you will fail at doing."

Harry sat listening attentively, ignoring his professor's barbed insults. He hated to admit it, but Snape's explanation of defense was something Harry had to agree upon. There was a certain untamed, alive feeling to channeling your magic through your wand, feeling the power flow out of your body and manifest itself in the shape of a powerful curse. While Snape sounded like he was enjoying talking about the Dark Arts way too much, Harry reminded himself about how he would practice the Half-Blood Prince's spells every night. Harry found that he did indeed enjoy the primal exhilaration as he rapidly shot powerful spells at his dummies. Plus, hadn't what Snape said about defense not being about memorizing silly school books been exactly what Harry had told his friends?

Snape continued on, flicking his wand at the blackboard. "The Shield Charm," he said simply. "I believe you have learned the incantation? Oh dear… no one has…well I suppose considering the teachers you have had…"

"Please, Professor, the incantation is Protego, with a thrust of the wand-" Hermione said. Harry groaned, realizing Snape had been baiting her.

"Granger! In my class you will speak only when spoken to, not simply whenever you feel the need to remind us that you live in the library. Five points from Gryffindor!" Snape spat, a huge sneer on his face. He earned quite a chuckle from the Slytherin end of the classroom.

Ron looked ready to jump to his girlfriend's defense, but Harry elbowed him, whispering a reminder that Gryffindor did not need to loose any more points.

"But apparently Mr. Potter believes he is an expert on the subject," Snape snarled, a smug expression spreading rapidly through his greasy face. "Perhaps you would care to demonstrate your expertise… or lack thereof."

"It would be an honor to … ahem, assist you, sir," Harry said sarcastically. Harry marched up to the center of the class, keeping a grin plastered on his face. He definitely planned to show Snape a little bit of expertise.

Snape looked away, then abruptly yelled "_Stupefy!_", most likely in an attempt to catch Harry unprepared.

"_Protego_" the shield went up just in time, reflecting the jet of red light towards a desk.

"_Everbero! Reducto!_ Snape snarled viciously, sending two spells within a second of each other.

"_Protego!_ Harry yelled loudly. Realizing that wouldn't be sufficient to stop a Bludgeoning and Blasting Hex, he mentally said, "Protego Maximus!" He subtly flicked his fingers to cast the most powerful Shield Spell he knew. He was tempted to cast a spell that would swap his position with Snape's, causing Snape's hexes to hit himself, but that was a special dark invention of the Half-Blood Prince. Not to mention the Spectre Swap could have different effects in a heavily magical area such as Hogwarts.

The spells smashed into Harry's shields, but did not penetrate. Unfortunately Harry's wandless prowess was not such that he could reflect the spell directly at Snape, but the fact that he blocked the spells was certainly enough to send his professor into a towering rage.

Snape began a fancy wand motion and then raised his wand over his head, flinging his arm towards Harry, forming a red crescent shaped like the head of an axe to appear. The large crescent shot towards Harry, and before he could react, it tore through Harry's shield as if it weren't even there and flung him nearly five feet backwards, causing him to land awkwardly on his rear.

Snape quickly shot off a disarmer, hoping to catch Harry with his shields down.

Harry, a bit dazed, noticed that Snape's spell has cleaved through his shield, leaving him vulnerable to the bolt of light headed in his direction. He rolled over to the side, the spell streaking past his head. His instinct told him to use an offensive spell against Snape, but it simply wouldn't do to get himself expelled. Harry also knew that his professor's magic was too strong for Harry to hold off forever with shields, and Snape was too skilled for Harry to reflect his spells back at him. Harry looked into the man's eyes, seeing the rage bubbling in the man's body. "Here it comes…" Harry muttered under his breath.

"_Concussus!_" Snape snarled, shooting a wide sky blue beam out of his wand. As it smashed into Harry's shield, it began to slowly pressure its way through Harry's shield. Just as the beam was about to tear through his shield and connect with his body, Harry thrust his wand forward, causing part of the spell to rocket forward towards his attacker. Reflecting half of the spell caused the part that was just breaking through the shield to have a free path to his chest. Harry turned to wink at his friends, and then fell to the floor unconscious.

He woke up to see Hermione, Ron, and Neville standing over him, with their wands pointed at him. Everyone's eyes were either pointed towards him, or their professor, who was unconscious as well.

"Ow… my head," he muttered, allowing Ron to lift him off the ground.

"Are you okay? It took three of us to _Ennervate_ you…" Hermione's shrill voice asked.

"M'fine… your voice hurts my ears," Harry mumbled, clutching his head.

"Sorry, that's one of the after effects of the Concussion Curse. It is supposed to put you out for twenty four hours… luckily you only got hit by half of it and we could heal you," Hermione said softly, gesturing for the rest of the class to be quiet.

"Bloody brilliant, mate. Best dueling I've seen since this summer in Diagon Alley, but this was ten times better, because it was Snape…" Ron said enthusiastically, causing Hermione to flare up.

"Ron! Don't say that. Harry will be in trouble-"

"Are you kidding? It was self-defense. I'm pretty sure Snape shouldn't have been casting anything that gives people concussions… Besides, used the Shield Charm just like the git said," Ron said indignantly.

"You guys… enough arguing," Harry said pleadingly. "What do we do about Sniverus Snapple?"

"Uh… mate? You okay?" Ron asked, looking at Harry strangely. "Not that I don't agree, but you know, a blow to the head…"

"Yeah I'm fine." Harry said indignantly, sitting down in his seat. "I'm just… feels weird."

Hermione grabbed him. "Oh no you don't. You need to rest after being hit with that spell. Let's get you to the dorms before we deal with Snape."

"Yeah, c'mon mate, Sn-apple pie can wait until later," Ron said, causing Harry to break out into laughter. Hermione even let out a quick giggle.

After Harry was back in his bed, he set his alarm to beep in time for his next class, and promptly went to sleep. Later that day, he was awoken by a hand gently caressing his face. He looked up, only seeing a forearm with a few freckles. After a moment of confusion he laughed and grabbed at the silky fabric around the arm.

"Ginny? What are you doing here?"

"Bringing you lunch of course… You have twenty minutes until Potions," Ginny said in mock exasperation.

"Mmm, I like this, maybe I should get hurt more often," Harry said, running his hand through her smooth hair. He pulled her in closer, gently touching his lips to hers. As he moved to pull her to his side and deepen the kiss, she gently pushed him away and sat next to him. Harry pouted and looked at her like he was a kid who had been given a new broomstick but told he couldn't ride it.

"Harry, Ron and Hermione told me about your battle with Snape," Ginny said, causing Harry to come back to his senses immediately.

"Uhh, am I expelled yet?" Harry asked.

Ginny gave his leg a soft whack and said, "Of course not. In fact, Snape wasn't as mad as I would think he would have been. He only demanded that you be given a week of detention and that he be allowed to use Legilimency to break into your mind and figure out how you managed to show him up."

"That's weird. He'll probably try to get me back later…" Harry said, furrowing his brow.

"I don't know, but I do know that he is curious at how you managed to block his spells. Dumbledore was also curious; you should have seen him frowning in confusion."

Harry groaned; the last thing he needed was to have Dumbledore and Snape prying into his life. "We'll have to be careful then. I don't think they will care about our outdoor training sessions, but we can't let them know anything more about our training. I'll try to stay inconspicuous in classes."

Ginny looked thoughtful for a second. "But Harry, if you let Dumbledore see how powerful you are and are capable of being, maybe he will let you into the Order or something?"

Harry shook his head. "No, that won't happen, at least not yet. For now, we need to concentrate on our training and just getting through another year without any incidents."

Ginny nodded, signaling that the conversation was concluded. She sent an impish grin to Harry, and asked, "Now where were we..."

Harry was almost late to Potions.

As Harry and his friends sat in their seats, the classroom door boomed open, and a bulging stomach preceded a short, rotund man into the classroom. After he settled himself into his cushioned chair, he began to speak.

"Hello, sixth years. I am Professor Slughorn, the Potions Master of Hogwarts. This was a post I filled nearly twenty years ago, and I am thrilled to be back, amidst so many special students," he said formally, his eyes resting on Harry like he was a extremely rare collectable. "Please get out your Advanced Potion Making and turn to page three."

"Sir? I don't have a book… you see-"

"No problem! None at all. You may borrow that one on the shelf until you receive yours from Flourish and Botts," Slughorn said genially, gesturing towards the book on the shelf. "Oho! Your mother was quite the expert at Potion brewing. I expect great things from you too, Mr. Potter."

"Err thanks, Professor," Harry said looking away from the excited Potions professor. Harry couldn't help but be a bit disturbed by Slughorn's interest in him. It was a similar type of interest that people like Rita Skeeter showed in him, although to the professor's credit, he didn't seem that bad.

"Now then, this year's potions will challenge you terribly unless you keep up with the reading and homework. Today we will learn to identify a few of the potions you will be making this term."

Slughorn strode over to his desk, straining the buttons on his velvet smoking jacket in the process, and picked up a clear potion. "Now then, who can identify this-"

Hermione's hand eagerly shot into the air. "Veritaserum, sir. A powerful truth potion that is identified by its clear, odorless liquid. The ingredients are-"

"Oho! My, my you seem quite the brilliant potions maker, Ms.--?" Slughorn piped excitedly.

"Granger. Hermione Granger," Hermione stated.

After Hermione had identified a few potions that Harry had seen before and a few that he had not heard of, such as Felix Felixis, Slughorn interrupted to ask if she was related to any great potion makers.

"No, you see, I'm muggleborn," Hermione said quietly.

"Ahh…" Slughorn said grandly, but not maliciously. "Well, you could go far, Ms. Granger and I've never been wrong about a student before."

Ginny joined the six years for dinner, sitting next to Harry and holding his hand. "So… how was your day? I heard a few girls gossiping about the Boy-Who-Kicked-Snape's-Arse… by tomorrow every girl in the school will be trying to steal you from me."

"Uh…what? Why would they do that?" Harry asked, hopelessly confused.

Ginny didn't get a chance to respond, because a pretty girl with dark black hair approached Harry.

"Hey, Harry," said Cho, flashing him a smile and tossing her hair. "How was your summer?"

Ginny glared at her and put their entwined hands on top of the table.

"Err… pretty good Cho. I hope you had a good one too?" Harry asked, oblivious to her flirtatious looks.

"Yeah… Michael Corner and I broke up," she said looking at Harry pointedly.

At this point, Ginny was nearly cutting off the circulation in his hand, so he decided it would be prudent to end the conversation. "That's too bad… Plenty of other blokes out there, right? I'm sure you'll find someone."

"Thanks Harry, you're so sweet, you always were. Do you want to come sit with me over there?" said Cho, flashing Harry a smile that would have made his stomach do a back flip a year ago.

"Sorry, I was just talking with Ginny. Perhaps later?" Harry asked, hoping she wouldn't want to talk to him later.

"Ok," Cho said brusquely, giving Ginny a glare worthy of a Basilisk and turning on her heel and leaving.

Ron broke out into a chuckle. "Mate, you're going to be breaking a lot of hearts this year."

Harry looked at Ginny, demanding an explanation.

"Well, with all this 'Chosen One' nonsense the Daily Prophet has been spewing, people were already wanting a piece of you… then you come here and knock Snape unconscious…" Ginny said slowly, knowing Harry was a bit sensitive on this topic. "And then they see that you're Quidditch Captain and have… grown up quite nicely. It's been getting annoying, really. Earlier today Romilda Vane asked me if you had a six-pack."

"Uhuh… what did you tell her?" Harry asked grinning.

"Never mind that, the point is that you're going to have to be careful, especially with the twins cranking out love potions," Ginny said crossly.

After they had finished dinner, Harry told his friends to meet in the Room of Requirement. Harry passed the statue of Barnabas the Barmy and thought of a large dueling stadium, with a padded floor. The room met his request grandly, providing him with a large circular stadium, surrounded by walls that would absorb stray hexes. In one corner there were dummies set up and in another corner there were tons of books and devices.

"Ok, this is what we are going to work on first," Harry began, using his authoritative voice that he reserved for DA meetings. "We will work on Shield Charms, but I want you three on that side." Harry gestured towards one side of the stadium. "And the three of us over here. We will be casting Stunning and Disarming spells at our opponent, who will just use shields and dodges to avoid getting hit. Remember, it requires less energy to dodge than to block a spell and certain spells cannot be blocked."

Harry paired himself with Ron, Hermione with Neville, and Ginny with Luna, so no one would be fighting someone who they would be afraid to hit. Also the fifth years could practice together.

Ron put up his shield and waited for Harry to begin. Harry burst into motion, shooting a strong Stunning Spell at Ron's chest. His shield blocked the jet of light, but Harry was already sending two more spells at him. As the first one connected with Ron's shield, it almost battered through, causing Ron to curse and dive to the side as the following spell shot through his shield and just missed him.

"Well done, Ron. Nice dodge," Harry complemented, allowing Ron to catch his breath and stand up. "But in battle, remember that if you dodge, you don't want to layout unless you have to. Or if you do, put up a shield as you hit the ground and get up as quickly as possible," Harry said, speaking loud so everyone could hear his tips.

Harry absently fired hexes at Ron's shields while he looked around to observe everyone else.

"Hermione! Don't think so much before each spell just cast them as quick as you can. Neville, once your shield gets low, you need to recast it as soon as you can. Luna! Oh… STOP!" he shouted, calling for a break as he revived his friend from Ravenclaw. "Ok, I'll pair up with Ginny now."

Ginny sent him a smirk and moved to face him.

"Ginnikins, ready for me to wipe that smirk of your face?" Harry said mockingly.

"Oh no you didn't, Potter… just you wait till it's my turn to attack you," Ginny said angrily.

"Why don't we do both? This time, I'll try to stun you and you try to get me."

Harry quickly sent a Stunner to the left of Ginny, and then shot one slightly to the right of her.

"Nice try, Potter," she said impishly, ducking down so both flew over her head. "_Expelliarmus_"

"_Protego_ "

Ginny sent a slew of spells at Harry, but he blocked them all with ease. "You need to work on your speed, ickle Gin-Gins," he teased, causing Ginny to flair up. _Boy, oh boy does she look so good when she's angry — Ow!!! My nose!_

Harry felt winged creatures growing inside of his nose, clawing at his face. Grasping at his face madly, he tried to remove them, but it took a good thirty seconds before they finally gave up trying to turn his nostril into a beehive.

"Harry! Are you ok…?" Ginny asked, running to his side worriedly. "I'm sorry… I know you said only Stunning Spells, I just-"

"I'm fine, Ginny. Don't be sorry, I wasn't paying attention and you got me good," Harry said, grabbing her shoulder. "But I will need you to kiss it and make it all better."

"Good," Ginny said simply, holding his cheek and tenderly kissing him.

"Oi! This is a training session, not a snog-my-sister session!" Ron bellowed.

"Right! Back to work. Those who were on defense will now be on offense. Remember that you want to work on your accuracy and casting speed. The faster you can cast spells, the less chance there is of the opponent having time to use a spell against you."

Harry paired off with Neville this time, blocking his spells and shouting out tips. Neville had potential, Harry decided. "Good job, mate. This time, I'll just dodge. You need to pay attention to how I move so you can anticipate where I will move to."

After an hour of this, Harry had partnered off with each person at least once and made a mental list of the things each person needed to work on. "Okay guys, that's enough for today. We're going to practice Occlumency now. Did you get a chance to read the book?"

After a murmur of affirmatives and one "Hermione made me", Harry told them to prepare for a mental probe, promising he would do their best not to violate their privacy.

_Hey Ginny, have you been practicing Legilimency?_ Harry asked mentally, after penetrating her shields. She couldn't talk back, but Harry knew from her thoughts that the answer was 'no'. _That's fine. Anyway most people learn Occlumency first. Once you get control of both, we will be able to speak mentally when we are close together and looking at each other._ Ginny's thoughts were excited, so Harry took that as a good sign and pulled out of her mind.

Aside from Luna, Hermione had made the most progress, catching up to Ginny's skill level. Sure enough, Harry could see books galore inside of her mind.

Neville and Ron both made little progress, but that was understandable, considering how like a younger Harry, they had a tendency to 'wear their hearts on their sleeves'.

"All right, make sure you practice for about an half an hour today, the sooner we get this out of the way, the sooner you can use that time for something more interesting," Harry said encouragingly.

Harry shot a look at Ginny, beckoning her over to his side. "Ron, Hermione, since you two are prefects and allowed to patrol at night, drop Luna off at her common room, ok?"

"What about you two?" Ron said, eyeing the two of them sharply.

"Ginny and I will work on some things, then return under the cloak," Harry said.

Hermione piped up next. "What will you be working on?"

Harry shuffled his feet. "Just a bit of spell work…"

Ron, Neville, and Luna seemed fine with this, but Hermione was not so accepting. "But if it is important for Ginny to learn, why can't we learn too?"

Harry groaned; trying to think of something to tell her besides "Get out of our business."

"Is there something wrong with spending time with my boyfriend alone?" Ginny asked exasperatedly.

"No of course not, Gin," Harry said grinning at her. Donning his serious expression and looking at Hermione, Harry said, "Listen. I've explained why I have to train as much as I can. Ginny wants to train with me and I want her to train with me. End of story."

"Well, that's… fine," Hermione said a bit disappointed. "Let's go, Ron."

"Mental, that one is," Harry said, imitating his friend's voice as soon as they were alone.

Ginny chuckled. "So are we going to work on the Animagus training today? Or did you have something a little more mischievous planned?" she asked, fluttering her eyelashes seductively.

"Well, I uhh… have another secret to tell you," Harry said carefully.

"And you want me to promise not to tell anyone?" Ginny asked, arching an eyebrow.

"No, nothing like that. Well, I do want you not to tell, but you don't need to promise, I trust you completely. It's just that I actually have another Animagus form…" Harry transformed his arm into a brightly colored wing of a fiery phoenix.

"Oh wow! Harry, but you can't have a _magical_ Animagus, I read it in the book. And you can't have two-" Ginny spluttered in confusion.

"Three."

"WHAT?" Ginny exclaimed.

"Lion, Phoenix, Stag," Harry said quickly. "I haven't started to work on the stag yet, but it looks just like my father's, except for the eyes…"

"That's great, Harry, I'm amazed," Ginny said with wide eyes. "So will we work together then?"

"Yeah, the phoenix is a bit tricky to get, so we will probably move at the same rate. Today, you can work on your left paw, and I'll work on my left wing."

An hour later, neither had made much progress with their forms and they were magically tired. Still, Harry was progressing a bit faster than he did with the lion, so he was in good spirits. Ginny had always gotten good grades in Transfiguration, and with a good teacher, it seemed like she was progressing reasonably fast, probably only a little bit slower than Harry had over the summer. Harry had the Half-Blood Prince to thank for that, because without the instructions on wandless magic, it most likely would have taken him as long as it did for his father and Sirius to finish the transformation.

As they headed back to their dorms, Harry silently pondered the question of whether it would be a good idea to eventually teach his friends about some of the darker spells in the _Tome of Shadows_. As Hermione said, if it was important for Harry to learn, wasn't it important for the rest of them? He knew that they would want to be there in a fight with Death Eaters, so shouldn't Harry make sure they were well prepared?

But then he imagined their faces when he told them that he was teaching Dark Magic. They wouldn't understand, Harry decided. Teaching them dueling techniques and martial arts was enough of a stretch; they probably wouldn't want to be around him if he told them that they would need to understand Dark Magic. None of them have to either kill or be killed; none of them have to be able to match the most powerful wizard in the world. Perhaps one day they would need to kill, but until that day came, there was no reason to darken their souls. Harry knew he would have to kill more than once in the future, but his friends didn't have to do that. They only needed to learn how to fight and survive, and that was what Harry would teach.

After their morning exercises, Harry decided this would be a good chance to start their martial arts training.

"All right guys, what I'm going to teach now is called Wing Chun. It's a Chinese close-range, aggressive style of fighting that emphasizes balance, explosive reactions, and quickly neutralizing your enemy," Harry said, handing them each a book. "There are three main aspects of Wing Chun that you guys need to learn. We will start with Si Nim Tao, which is the first step of Wing Chun combat."

Harry first explained everything that Tonks had told him about one's center of balance and where one's hands should be in relation to each center of balance. By the time he actually got to demonstrating the different strikes, it was time to head to breakfast.

"Okay, for tomorrow read the first chapter on relaxation, meditation, and breathing. It's important because if you don't get those three things down, you will have trouble generating the force and speed required for the Wing Chun strikes," Harry said in his 'DA' voice. It felt a bit weird assigning homework, but unless they wanted to wake up an hour earlier, what choice was there?

"Great lesson today, O'Great Master Potter," Ginny said grinning at him.

"Stuff it Weasley…" he muttered, giving her a playful shove.

"No seriously, you really were busy this summer weren't you? Did you get any sleep?"

"Well, I had nothing else to do, and I really do find martial arts fun. Exhausting, but fun," he said seriously.

"Yeah, you looked so peaceful that day I saw you meditating," Ginny replied.

"And then I turned into a ferocious lion and tackled you," he said smirking.

"You don't do that enough these days," Ginny said wickedly, grinning at Harry.

"That's something I'll be sure to correct, Miss Weasley," Harry said, pulling her close.

"Oi! Can't you two lovebirds at least find a private spot?" Ron shouted angrily.

"Mate, the library isn't the most private place either, but you and 'Mione don't seem to mind, eh?" Harry said without missing a beat.

"How… know… never mind that," Ron stuttered and walked off to the breakfast table.

Transfiguration class seemed to be going well for Harry. For some reason, he was able to actually understand what McGonagall was saying about the theory of using Transfiguration to animate their stools to dance. After seeing Dumbledore control the ministry statues to block Killing Curses, Harry had understood the importance of being able to control and move inanimate objects, and he had studied it with Lupin, who was rather sharp at Transfiguration himself. It was simply a matter of using magic to move each part of the object and having a strong mental picture of the desired effect. Occlumency and nonverbal magic had given him plenty of practice with strengthening his mental abilities, and all the Animagus training had greatly improved his Transfiguration skills.

It's all fitting together, he realized. Snape's lecture on Defense Against the Dark Arts, McGonagall's Transfiguration theory, the Half-Blood Prince's sloppy scrolls, and Lupin's lessons on defensive magic. While they were all different, they all came down to the same thing - willing your magic to manifest itself in different forms. That's how Dumbledore and Voldemort had done magic that Harry had never heard of last year in the Ministry. There was probably no incantation or known spell for half of the things they were doing; they just used their minds and made their magic manifest itself in the ways they willed it to. Dumbledore, being one of the best Transfiguration masters, used a lot of transfiguration-based spells. Voldemort, of course, used as much Dark Magic as possible.

As Harry was thinking furiously about the nature of magic, it became obvious to his professor that he was not following her instruction to read the chapter she had just assigned.

"Mr. Potter, I believe I asked you to read pages thirty-three through thirty-seven! Is there a reason you feel the need to not pay a sliver of attention?" she asked harshly.

"Umm… I have read it ma'am. I… um, read ahead before class. It's a really fascinating topic-"

"Very well then Mr. Potter, since you are clearly an expert on my subject, perhaps you would be willing to demonstrate the proper animation of inanimate objects?" McGonagall said, her eyebrows forming one line. Harry knew it wasn't a question.

Harry shuffled his feet, realizing he had not been paying attention when McGonagall told him the proper incantation. He had gotten so used to doing Transfiguration nonverbally as practice for his Animagus training…

Not wanting to make his house lose points, Harry flicked his wand, mumbling a made-up incantation, so it would seem as though he was not doing mental magic. The stool began to dance on its four legs, much to the amazement of the rest of the class.

Hermione eyed him strangely. "_How did you do that?_" she snarled quietly.

Before Harry could answer that he had simply just gotten lucky, he saw McGonagall's hard eyes looking at him piercingly as her lips compressed into a thin line.

"Mr. Potter… that is quite impressive… never in my years of teaching have I seen that done on a student's first try. Ten points to Gryffindor. See me after class," she said in a quiet voice. After she regained her stern, no-nonsense demeanor, she yelled, "Class! Back to work. I expect all of you to pay attention and do the reading that I assign."

Harry then realized that McGonagall had actually complimented him and wasn't angry. He was a little nervous about talking to his professor after class, but McGonagall hardly ever gave out compliments, so it couldn't be that bad.

"Psst. Harry!" Hermione whispered loudly, making it hardly a whisper at all.

_Oh no… here it comes, Potter_, he thought, groaning inwardly. "Yes, Hermione?"

"How did you get that spell correct the first time? I know you didn't read the book before class, and even if you did, you shouldn't have managed to cast the spell so fluidly. And I heard what you mumbled, that wasn't the right incantation at all! Harry, magic without a standard verbal incantation is only covered briefly in the seventh year!" she said frantically, pointing her finger at him accusingly.

"Over the summer I practiced magic. I've told you this before. I don't see what the big-"

"Mr. Potter, Ms. Granger! May I ask why you are having a conversation in my class?" McGonagall asked sharply. "Five points from Gryffindor."

Harry was never so relieved to lose points from Gryffindor.

After class, Harry approached his professor.

"Mr. Potter, may I call you Harry?" she asked.

That wasn't what he was expecting, but he nodded his head.

"Good. Harry, tell me what you think about Transfiguration. Do you enjoy it?"

"Umm… I like it. Aside from Defense Against the Dark Arts it's one of my favorite classes," Harry said carefully.

"Yes. In your past years, you have always shown skill in the subject, but you were never outstanding. This year, I believe something has changed. The spell you did today was one that most students take weeks to master, if they master it at all. This type of Transfiguration is similar to another branch of Transfiguration that I believe you may have the ability to pursue."

Harry had a sinking feeling as he realized what was coming.

"I believe that, with training, you can become an Animagus like your father," she said, staring into his eyes.

He knew that this was a huge compliment coming from McGonagall, but he couldn't think of a suitable response. "Thank you, Professor-"

"It will be very difficult, and require a lot of time, but I believe that the sensation of being an animal will be a just reward. You do not have to make a decision today, but I will give you this book to read, so you know what is involved," McGonagall said.

Harry could see that she was excited about teaching Harry. In fact, he remembered how McGonagall had promised to do everything in her power to make him an auror and how she verbally defended Harry in such a brilliant manner. Harry realized that there was no way he could refuse, considering how McGonagall had actually been on his side from day one. "Thank you, professor. I'd love to work on becoming an Animagus."

"Good, then perhaps we could start having weekly lessons after Halloween? You will need that much time to memorize the book before we actually begin training."

Harry failed to point out he already had the book memorized. He was quite relieved to know that he still had time to figure out what he was going to do to neither disappoint his professor nor give away to much information. "That sounds perfect, Ma'am."

"Excellent. And Harry?"

"Yes?"

"Now that I have seen what you are capable of, I shall expect all of your future work to be nothing less that outstanding. By the way, I was told to give you detention for your actions in Defense Against the Dark Arts, but I'm afraid I'll have to forgive you this one time. You see, I have lost count of the number of times I have desired to knock Professor Snape unconscious." As she said her last statement, Harry swore he saw a feral grin flash across her face.

"Thank you. That's very, err, generous of you," Harry said, stunned at seeing his professor acting like that.

McGonagall quickly changed back to her stern self and sent him a look that let him know that he was dismissed. When he was gone, she thought about his parents, remembering James's skill in Transfiguration when he wasn't up to some form of mischief. Her most fond memories were of Lily, the Head Girl, helping Gryffindor's new students get accustomed to their new home. Then she thought about how during their seventh year, they both changed into such marvelous people, each one bringing out the best in the other. She was truly heartbroken when they died. However, it seemed that they never truly died; the best of James and Lily lived on in Harry. She looked at the golden Head Boy and Girl plaque on the wall, once again promising her two favorite students that she would do everything in her power to help their son.

The y rest of the week passed without any trouble. Harry had been keeping his head down in other classes so that he didn't arouse any suspicions or spark Hermione's curiosity.

Quidditch tryouts had been interesting; nearly thirty people showed up for four open spots and seven reserve spots. After quickly weeding out those who couldn't even fly a lap around the pitch, Harry devised a few different drills for the remaining seventeen people.

"All right. This is what we are going to do," he shouted, getting the attention of the people who passed the first test. "First we will pick five Chasers and the top two will be on the starting line-up. Don't be disappointed if you are a reserve, because if we see that you are playing better than a starter, I will put you on the line-up. Also, when we graduate, you will have an advantage over those who weren't on the reserves."

After having the various Chasers play against the three Keepers, Harry quickly established that Katie Bell, Ginny Weasley, and Demelza Robbins would be starting Chasers. With practice, the three of them would be able to work together as well as Angelina, Alicia, and Katie had. Out of the Keepers, Ron was definitely the best, followed by a second year, Thomas Wood, Oliver's little brother. He was surprisingly good for a second year, but Ron had size and experience going for him.

For reserve Seeker, only Ginny tried out, so she automatically got the position.

"You're going to have to watch out, Potter," Katie said chuckling. "Or your girlfriend will replace you."

"If she is better, then I will play her," Harry said without missing a beat.

Beaters were another issue. Out of the people who tried out, only Seamus, Dean, and the Creevey brothers showed any promise. Unfortunately, neither pairs could hold a candle to the Weasley twins, but perhaps after they got some training… Seamus and Dean were both well-built and could smack a Bludger with decent power. The Creevey brothers worked well together, but they lacked the strength to keep both Bludgers under control. Harry decided to put them on the reserve team, so they could build up their muscles. They would be quite good once they bulked up a little bit.

"Ok, listen up. Here's the starting list," Harry yelled, getting everyone's attention.

"For Chasers we have Katie Bell, Ginny Weasley, and Demelza Robbins. For the reserve team we have Natalie McDonald, Steven Gaber, and Romilda Vane."

Harry didn't want to include Romilda Vane on the reserve team because of her attempts to flirt with him, but she was the only other Chaser applicant who could fly without slamming into the goalposts. Harry sincerely hoped none of his starters would injure themselves and be unable to play.

"For starting Keeper we have Ron Weasley. For reserve we have Tom Wood. I'm Seeker and Ginny Weasley is reserve Seeker. Now, for Beaters, we have decided on Seamus Finnigan and Dean Thomas. Colin and Dennis Creevey will be reserve Keepers."

After the noise of congratulations and disappointed groans ended, Harry said, "Remember, during practice I will be watching to see if you are the best player for the spot. We will have practice on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays. If you are unable to regularly make practices, you are liable to be demoted. If you have any concerns with the practice schedule, just talk to me."

Ginny smirked at him. "I wonder if Angelina swallowed one of Fred's more dangerous pills, because you seem to be channeling her spirit."

Harry groaned. "I see the twins left you the 'drive the captain barmy' position."

The martial arts lessons had gone pretty well. Harry wasn't nearly as skilled an instructor as Tonks, who didn't even consider herself as an expert, but his group of friends did seem generally interested. Harry had decided on Wing Chun specifically because it was not dependent on brute strength, but using speed and muscle control to strike hard and fast. Most Death Eaters, if caught in a melee situation, would use muscle to try to manhandle their opponent. They would either rear back to deliver a powerful punch or trying to use their bulk to wrestle the opponent. People with figures like Ginny would need to be able to strike first and dodge quickly. Wing Chun also emphasized always being in control of your position in relation to one's opponents, a skill that Harry believed would be useful not just in close range combat, but magical duels.

When told that this would improve their Quidditch game, Ron and Ginny seemed to throw themselves into the exercises quite thoroughly. Neville was just as focused, saying that if Harry believed this would help them fight Death Eaters, he would learn it. Harry was very grateful for Neville's determination, as it got Luna to try harder as well. She wasn't as physically strong as the other members of the group, but what she lacked in strength she made up for in mental discipline. Harry noticed that she hardly ever complained during workouts and always seemed to be relaxed when she sparred with someone.

Hermione, on the other hand, didn't seem too interested in learning Siu Nim Tao. While she did what Harry asked, she didn't seem to enjoy it at all. But that was understandable; she was a quick and enthusiastic learner when it came to their magical lessons. As long as she didn't fall far behind in the martial arts lessons, Harry decided he shouldn't worry. After all, Hermione had probably avoided doing much exercise in the past, instead directing her attention to books and magic.

As the week ended, Harry found himself worrying about what to do about McGonagall's offer. He could 'fess up, but he was afraid she would make him register and tell Dumbledore. His other option would be to save the stag transformation for McGonagall's lessons. But he knew that by then he would be done with the phoenix, and a stag would probably be so easy for him to make that he would get it in a week. His experienced professor was bound to realize something was strange about him if he mastered the transformation in a week. She was probably expecting him to take a year to get the transformation figured out, and if people found out how quick he mastered the transformation, they would realize that he was using unusual forms of magic. The last thing he wanted was for Dumbledore or even worse, the Ministry, to learn about his wandless and nonverbal magic.

Harry decided that he had plenty of time to figure things out. For now, he had to concentrate on his training, his friends' training, surviving Snape's class, and avoiding invitations to Slughorn's parties. He would normally schedule Quidditch practices whenever he received the manilla envelope with Slughorn's signature, but Slughorn just wouldn't give up. Harry refused to back down either, spending all of his free time in the Room of Requirement or the Quidditch Pitch. The only drawback to that plan was that he didn't get as much time alone with Ginny, but she was almost as busy as him, with her O.W.L. workload, Quidditch, and 'Harry's Army'.

Harry trudged into Snape's gloomy dungeon, once again hoping that Snape had caught dragonpox and would be unable to teach. Still, Harry had to admit that Snape was even more knowledgeable on the topic of Defense Against the Dark Arts than even Lupin. After two weeks of insulting Harry at every opportunity, Snape had realized that there was no denying that Harry was perhaps the best defense student he had taught. This irked Snape to no end, causing him to take points from Gryffindor at a rate that would have made Umbridge proud.

Harry quickly realized that Snape was doing everything in his power to make Harry explode. While it was excruciatingly hard not to respond to Snape's not so subtle insinuations that Harry was an arrogant, attention-seeking, replica of his father, Harry found that there was a way that he could annoy his professor without vanishing his foul mouth. Every time Snape insulted him, Harry just responded with a calm 'thank you, Professor'.

"Potter! Why aren't you taking notes?" he sneered furiously. "Think note-taking is above you? Or perhaps you've just gotten so used to reading Granger's notes… Ah, that's cheating Potter, twenty points from Gryffindor."

Harry clamped his lips shut and sat on his hands, so that he wouldn't act on his desires and turn Snape into a Picasso painting.

"I know other professors have been giving you special privileges due to your celebrity status, but in my class, you will either participate in the note-taking, or leave now," Snape said smoothly, his face a dark grin.

_Just think about something different_ he told himself over and over. Ginny said she would go swimming with him this weekend. Still, even the thought of Ginny in a swimsuit couldn't stop him from clenching his fists.

After class had ended, Snape made a surprising announcement. "On Halloween, I will be sponsoring a dueling tournament. The winner will receive a trophy, as well as some class credit. The winner will also get to duel me."

"Sir, what do we get _when_ we defeat you?" Harry said, unable to help himself.

"Why you impudent… Potter, that is something you will not have to worry about!" he shouted, losing his temper.

Harry smirked at him, doing his best to imitate his father's grin he had seen in the pensieve. He had become quite the expert at annoying his professor.

"Now, as I was saying before our school's very own glory-seeker interrupted me, you will need to submit your name to me. Students from the fifth, sixth and seventh years are allowed to enter. However, this is a serious tournament, and if you enter you must take it seriously or risk detention."

Harry was quite intrigued by this tournament; it sounded like it would be fun, but knowing Snape, something would probably go wrong. Harry thought that there was a good chance that he would end up dueling Snape, so he decided to research whatever spell he used to cleave his shield. Hopefully his favorite book could clue him in.

Later that week Harry was waiting in the Room of Requirement. He checked his watch, realizing that Ginny should have been here nearly a minute ago. Normally he would not have been concerned yet, but he also noted that the invisibility cloak was with him. Deciding it was better to be safe than sorry, he donned the cloak and walked out of the room.

"Your boyfriend will never hear about this, you filthy, blood-traitor whore! And after we're done with you, do you really think he will even want you?" said a voice that Harry knew far too well.

Crabbe and Goyle flanked Malfoy as they moved in on Ginny, who was trapped in a corner. Harry could see that she was disarmed and had adopted a battle stance. His first instinct was to just _Avada Kedavra_ Malfoy on the spot as he felt a protective rage fill every pore in his body. Instead he thought of the next curse that came to his mind.

As the three Slytherins enclosed on the redhead, Harry poked his unregistered wand out of the cloak and muttered "_Medio Centuriatim_!"

Malfoy reached out to grab her, but then he stopped and took a deep breath. A few seconds later, he still hadn't moved all the way in, but a black mist was surrounding him. Before he could react, Crabbe and Goyle slammed into him from either side with a sickening crunch. Malfoy screamed in pain as he fell to the ground, trying futilely to cradle what looked like a broken arm with. He looked at Ginny in confusion and opened lips. Any words that Draco tried to say were lost in a scream of pain.

Harry stood underneath his cloak shocked at the effects of the spell. He had read about this particular spell in the Half-Blood Prince's book and he had only used it because it was the first thing that came to his mind. The Prince had said the Centering Curse was good for situations when you were out numbered… it didn't say anything about causing nearby object to be sucked into the target at such a fast speed. _Bloody hell! Had he actually killed Malfoy?_ Malfoy's screams of pain, which first gave Harry a brief surge of satisfaction and triumph, now turned to bile in his belly. Harry felt sick, but he reminded himself that there was no time to think about that now.

_Accio Ginny!_ he thought, sending Ginny flying towards him. He gently caught her and draped the cloak around her.

"Ha--"

Harry quickly clapped his hand over Ginny's mouth.

Crabbe and Goyle looked around in confusion. Harry decided that it would be best to make sure that they at least called for help or took the barely breathing blonde to the hospital wing. Harry couldn't decide whether to make sure Malfoy couldn't ever advance against Ginny by a well placed severing charm, or to feel sorry for breaking more than one bone in his body. Malfoy was now writhing on the floor, his cries of pain echoing throughout the corridor. If anyone took the time to look in his eyes right before he lost consciousness, they would see a symphony of pain, fear, and hopelessness.

!!$#$&!$&$&$&$

**A/N: I suppose the million dollar question is would Draco have carried through with it if Harry hadn't showed up...**

**Sorry for the 'sort-of cliffhanger', this chapter was just too long unless I cut it somewhere, and I wanted to save the discussion with Dumbledore for the next chapter. **

**Thanks for reading and hopefully reviewing, **

**Nick (Diviniti)**


	7. Chapter 7: Stand My Ground

_**Chapter Seven: Stand My Ground**_

After the two were in the Gryffindor dorm, Harry pulled off the cloak and held Ginny close. "Are you okay, Ginny?"

Ginny looked at him sadly. "Yes, I think I'm fine… just a little shocked."

"You'll be fine, Ginny. I'm so sorry I didn't leave you the cloak."

"No, you saved me in time. Thank you, Harry. I should have just been more careful. I thought he was just going to throw his insults and then leave…" Ginny said, angry at herself.

"Don't worry about it. You couldn't have expected this; even I wouldn't have thought Malfoy was capable of something like this. You're safe now, that's what matters. We will just be more careful in the future… if I don't get expelled," Harry said the last part under his breath, but Ginny picked it up.

"Don't be silly, they can't expel you!" Ginny said furiously.

"Gin, if I had put more power into that spell, he could have died. As it is, he may have lost the use of an arm… I'm so sorry, Ginny… I didn't mean to lose control like that," Harry said, tears forming in his eyes.

"What's the matter, Harry? You saved me and we both know you will not get expelled. It's something else that's bothering you," Ginny said wisely, her hand stroking his hair.

"I deserve to be expelled. Do you have any idea how close I came to launching a Killing Curse at him? Damnit, I was already picturing his death in my mind, I just barely avoided casting it. Don't you see, Ginny? Look at what I've become… Who is to say that the next time, I won't just kill all three of them?"

Ginny began to interrupt furiously, but Harry plowed on. "He enjoys causing pain also. I thought I was doing the right thing by learning these curses, but I've turned into Tom Riddle! I wanted to kill him, just like I wanted to kill Bellatrix."

"LISTEN to me! You're not like him, for the last bloody time," Ginny yelled angrily, putting a finger over Harry's mouth. "You're different because you feel horrible at the thought of killing someone who possibly deserves it! Tom feels good about killing those who don't deserve it. Okay, so you let your protective instincts take over for a second. That's completely different then letting your evil instincts run your life."

"But Ginny, I'm a murderer, that's all there is to it…" Harry said, holding her arms.

"Harry, if you were being surrounded by Death Eaters who were ready to torture and kill you, and I came along and shot a few curses at them and one of them died, would you think I was a monster?" Ginny said, hoping desperately that he would understand her point. The only other solution was to Bat-Bogey him until he stopped damning himself…

"Of course not," Harry said simply, comprehension dawning on his face.

"Good. You're not a murderer and you never will be. You may have to kill people, but I know that you will never kill someone who wasn't putting a friend in danger."

"But-

"No buts, Harry. I want you to survive this war more than anything. For that to happen, if every bloody snake-faced Death Eater has to die, than so be it."

Harry sighed, looking into Ginny's deep brown eyes. "I want that too. Before I knew you, I was happy to die to destroy Voldemort. I never believed I had a future at all. Now… I want a future more than ever. I want it so bad that it scares me."

"You're going to have your dream future, Harry. One day, I promise you that it will happen," she said seriously. And that future will have me at your side, Potter… she thought to herself as she engaged in her favorite pastime, "Harry-fantasizing".

He pulled her closer to him, gently caressing her back with his hand, while the other hand stroked her hair. Their lips brushed together gently for nearly a minute, both of them simply enjoying the sensation of holding each other. Ginny deepened this kiss, but kept the reassuring gentleness intact.

Harry marveled at his beautiful girlfriend who always knew exactly what to say to him when he was depressed or moody. It was almost as if she was a Legilimens considering the way she understood what was going on in his head. Not only that, but he felt so good when she was next to him, like he was home. He let his fears, insecurities, and dark emotions fly out of his body as he got lost in Ginny Weasley.

McGonagall burst into the Gryffindor common room, finding the two students in a deep embrace. She sighed, knowing she should reprimand them for their public displays of affection, but they looked so perfect together…

"Potter! Weasley! I'm afraid you two need to come to the Headmaster's office immediately. Dumbledore has scanned the minds of Mr. Goyle and Mr. Crabbe, and believes that both of you were involved in the incident," she said putting on a stern face.

Harry paled a little and said, "Sure, professor."

McGonagall shot him a very quick look of sympathy. "Harry, I believe you did nothing wrong, and believe me, I will see those three Slytherins punished soundly if it is the last thing I do. Unfortunately, the Board of Governors requires a proper report whenever there is an injury…"

Harry nodded, and the three walked to Dumbledore's office. Ginny squeezed his hand reassuringly, reminding Harry wordlessly, reminding him that she would be at his side, no matter what happened.

"Pixie Patches," McGonagall said as they neared the two gargoyles guarding the headmaster's office.

Inside the office stood Dumbledore and the other heads of houses, and Harry's gaze lingered on Snape, trying to figure out why he was staring at Harry in a rather peculiar fashion. He looked angry, but what stood out more than his look of anger was his look of curiosity.

"Ahh… Mr. Potter and Miss Weasley have joined us. Miss Weasley, let me describe today's events to the best of my knowledge. I wish for you to point out anything that I have misinterpreted or missed, to make sure we know all significant facts before acting," Dumbledore said, looking at Ginny rather closely. "Would you like a Lemon Drop?"

Was he using Legilimency against her? Harry really hoped not, but just be sure, he moved closer towards her to squeeze her hand. While he was doing that, he slipped his head momentarily in between Dumbledore's gaze and Ginny's eyes, checking for a mental probe. When he found no mental probe, Harry disguised the movement by giving her a quick hug and telling her that if she didn't want to relive it now she didn't have to. This seemed to have the desired effect on the heads of houses, who were now extremely curious to know exactly what Mr. Malfoy did that would be that bad.

"I was walking down the hall and Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle cornered me and disarmed me. He was about to stun me, but he said he wanted to feel me struggling. He called me all sorts of horrible names… Professor, do I have to tell you exactly what he said?" Ginny said in an almost whimper. Harry couldn't help but marvel at how well she was gaining the professors' sympathy.

"No, I believe we can guess the nature of those comments," Dumbledore replied, putting a hand up to silence the gasps that were coming from the professors.

"Well, as he was moving closer to me, he said he was going to r-rape me and if I told anyone… he said if I told my family or Harry about it they wouldn't want to be near me again. I was scared and there was no way to escape."

"I'm so very sorry, Miss Weasley. Will you be able to continue?" Dumbledore asked sounding sincerely sorry. Harry noticed that Snape shot him a rather large "I told you so" look.

"Well, then… I don't know what happened, suddenly Crabbe and Goyle decided to body slam Malfoy, and I escaped," Ginny said.

"And that is when Mr. Potter comes in?" Dumbledore prompted shrewdly.

Harry knew that he would have to come clean now. Dumbledore had probably seen the memories of Malfoy's goons and most likely seen the black mist surrounding Malfoy.

"Yes, sir. I happened to be wandering in that hall and I heard a scream. I quickly ran over, and saved Ginny," Harry supplied, drawing the attention off of Ginny and on to himself. Harry decided to come clean, but by Merlin, he was going to make Dumbledore work to get his answers.

"And am I correct in assuming that you cast a powerful spell on Mr. Malfoy?" Dumbledore asked, his eyes betraying his interest in the answer. The ice blue eyes had lost their normal twinkle and instead had a piercing glow.

Snape, on the other hand, wasn't moving his eyes from Harry. Harry was rather glad that his Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor wasn't a Basilisk.

"Yes," Harry said simply.

"And what spell did you use, Potter!" Snape barked angrily.

Harry did a bit of quick thinking and blurted out, "It was a spell that Wormtail hit me from behind with during the attack on Diagon Alley. You see, while I was dueling Bellatrix, I heard an incantation and saw a bunch of small things that were on the street rocket towards me. I dived out of the way, but Bellatrix used the chance to hold me under the Cruciatus."

Everyone besides Ginny, Dumbledore, and Snape let out a gasp at the mention of that Unforgivable Curse. Harry noticed that Snape looked like he was about to yell something out, so Harry promptly continued his tale.

"And when I saw Ginny being cornered, it brought a flashback of when I was cornered, so I just used the first spell that came to mind. I wasn't thinking clear enough to just use a Stunner."

Harry thought that was a pretty clever explanation, but Snape, by the look on his face, did not agree.

"Potter, there's no way Pettigrew could have managed a spell like that," he spat angrily. He looked at Dumbledore eyes, as if asking an unspoken question, but Dumbledore gave a slight shake of his head. Harry smirked at his professor, knowing he was itching to break into Harry's mind.

"I suppose that's why I wasn't hurt by it too badly during the attack," Harry said matter-of-factly.

Dumbledore came in between the angry professor and student, saying, "Harry, why were you under your invisibility cloak at that time? Was it coincidence that you and Miss Weasley were on the same floor?"

Harry froze for a second, sneaking a glance at Ginny, praying that she could think of something on the spot.

"Sir, Harry goes to the Room of Requirement to use these Muggle exercise machines. You know, there's one that you lie down on and push this heavy bar up and down… It's great Quidditch conditioning, so I accompany him there once in a while. There's also this machine, I forget what Harry said its name was. I'm talking about the one that you run on… a breadmill? What he usually does is approximately five repetitions on the bench thingy-"

"Enough Weasley! We can see through your pathetic-" Snape shouted, cutting through her babbling. Harry couldn't help but feel proud of his girlfriend for stalling for time.

"Well, that's the reason I was on the seventh floor. We've also been practicing martial arts. Wing Chun originated in ancient China…" Harry cut in, further frustrating the angry professor. Harry decided enough was enough, McGonagall had been on his side, and he was not about to ruin that by being immature. "Anything else you would like to know, sir?"

Dumbledore nodded at Harry, his eyes twinkling. "Yes, a little exercise is always a healthy practice. When I was younger, much younger, I used to enjoy swimming very much. However, it would seem you have spent more than a little time training. As a matter of fact, I believe you tried to take only four classes this year so that you could train more often?"

Harry knew that Dumbledore had used the open-ended word 'train' to manipulate Harry into divulging details about his time in the Room of Requirement. However, Harry would not play the headmaster's game.

"And it's proved rather useful… next time Malfoy tries to attack Ginny, she won't need my help to escape. But there won't be a 'next time' right? Surely Mr. Malfoy will be expelled for his crime… or should I say multiple heinous crimes?" Harry stressed the last words, seeing Dumbledore freeze in shock. Harry gave himself a mental pat on the back for taking control of the conversation.

Dumbledore frowned, a calculating look appearing on his face.

McGonagall shot Harry a look of confusion. "What other crimes has Mr. Malfoy committed? I know you two have had some childish altercations in the past, but I was under the impression that his actions today were the worst we have seen from him."

Harry looked at her and then switched his gaze towards Dumbledore, whose eyes were old and worn, instead of lively and twinkling. Harry couldn't believe that Dumbledore hadn't even informed the Gryffindor Head of House that Malfoy was on a mission to earn his Dark Mark by harming one of her students. "Ma'am, are you saying that no one told you that Malfoy has joined Voldemort? He doesn't have a mark yet; that's why he is here at Hogwarts. To get a Dark Mark and be an official Death Eater, you have to prove yourself by using the three Unforgivables. Malfoy has used the first two already. Voldemort told him that to get the snake tattoo he would need to do something at Hogwarts this year, and I'm fairly sure it has to do with me or one of my friends," Harry stated matter-of-factly and without emotion. He smirked at Dumbledore, who was now being stared at by the Heads of Houses.

"Albus! It this true?" McGonagall screamed at him, looking at him rather threateningly.

Snape entered the conversation at that point. "Potter is correct, although I know not how he got his information. The Malfoy brat is also keeping a close eye on me, no doubt relaying information back to his master. It is severely inhibiting my abilities to play the role of the spy."

Harry tapped his scar, hoping that would convince them. He didn't want Dumbledore to think Lupin or someone was relaying Order information to Harry.

Everyone was now staring at Dumbledore, demanding an explanation. Ginny smirked at him, causing him to smile a bit too. It would seem that the details of his training were no longer the important issue. Harry knew Snape wanted Malfoy expelled, mostly for selfish reasons. McGonagall would most likely be on Harry's side, although she was very loyal to Dumbledore. Perhaps now there would be enough pressure put upon Dumbledore to expel Malfoy…

"Yes, Mr. Malfoy has indeed been forced into Tom Riddle's band of servants. I do not, however, believe he would be in this position if he had a choice in the matter. That is why I chose not to simply expel him. I also do not believe he would have carried through with the act that he threatened Ms. Weasley with. He is not a spitting image of his father on the inside, this I know. I will not condemn him to a terrible life-"

"You're not condemning him! He's already chosen his side. To use the Cruciatus you have to enjoy causing pain. We know from today's events that Malfoy does indeed enjoy causing pain and suffering! It's not just Lucius who wants Draco to be Voldemort's servant; Draco wants it too. I'm pretty sure that Voldemort didn't tell Malfoy to rape her, he probably told him to kidnap her or something. Malfoy is a danger, not only to Ginny and my friends, but to all of the females at Hogwarts!" Harry snapped angrily. He hadn't witnessed Malfoy's summer activities firsthand, but he was about to rape a woman! Malfoy knew perfectly well how horrible it would be for Ginny, and he thoroughly enjoyed it. It wasn't the action of a son reluctantly obeying his father; it was the action of an evil man. How could Dumbledore not see that?

"Look sir, I grew up in a home where I was abused verbally and physically. If I ever abuse my child, then please, throw me in Azkaban, don't say that I was the unfortunate product of a bad environment who wasn't to blame because I was raised that way," Harry said seriously. Everyone around him was sitting in a stunned silence.

Finally Dumbledore spoke again, "Harry, I believe it would be best to continue this discussion at another time. We will decide upon the fate of Mr. Malfoy in the mean time. Miss Weasley, I am terribly sorry for your ordeal-"

"Being sorry isn't enough," Ginny snapped.

Harry saw that Ginny was sad and the beast in his chest flared up. "Do you have any idea of what you've done to her? You gambled with her life! You decided to put that Death Nibbler near her, knowing full well he meant to harm her. Oh, but it's all fine and dandy because you think that Malfoy is soft and innocent. You think that he's still a kid, so therefore he isn't capable of the same evil as his father! You had your chance to change Draco starting six years ago and now it's too late. I don't know what you're trying to pull, but thank you for showing us all that you care more about your ridiculous, hare-brained schemes than you do about Ginny's life."

Once again everyone was stunned. Snape opened his mouth as if to scold Harry, but instead Snape gave Harry a curt nod, letting Harry know that they were on the same side.

Harry grabbed Ginny's hand and gently led her out of the office. Harry could hear the raised voiced of the Heads of Houses all shooting statements and questions at the Headmaster. When he heard McGonagall's furious voice rising above the others, Harry almost felt sorry for his headmaster. Almost.

Harry led her to the Room of Requirement, thinking that Hermione and Ron would probably bombard them with questions if they went to the Common Room. He thought of a room in Potter Manor and collapsed on one of the comfortable sofas. Ginny sat down next to him and leaned her head onto his chest.

"Well that went… well," Harry said sarcastically, seeking a way to start a conversation.

"Yeah, best hour of my life," Ginny replied matching his sarcasm. Ginny adopted a serious face and said, "But on the positive end, it looks like Dumbledore may have no choice but to expel Malfoy and we were able to keep him from finding out too much about your training."

"Yeah, but that means Dumbledore will just ask me those same questions later," Harry mused darkly.

"Harry, you can worry about that later. We don't know what the circumstances will be then," Ginny said wisely.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, we don't know if he will punish you for your spell, punish Malfoy, suspend Malfoy, expel him, or send him to Azkaban. If Dumbledore seems to be listening to others, then you may want to tell him more than if he does something ridiculous like, I dunno, demand that you allow him to enter your mind," Ginny replied calmly.

"Gin, you're pretty smart, you know… balances out my thickness, huh?" Harry replied with an infectious grin.

"Yes, it sure does, Potter," Ginny remarked with a good-natured smirk. "But seriously, sometimes another perspective can be useful."

"Your perspective is always useful, Ginny. I don't know what I'd do without it," Harry said sincerely, leaning into Ginny and touching his cheek to her head.

Ginny lifted her head and gave him a thorough, heartfelt kiss enjoying the sensation of feeling the day's worries fly out of her mind. Finally they broke apart, but remained close to each other.

"Harry?" Ginny said gently.

"Yeah?"

"What should we tell the others?"

Harry looked at her eyes and he could tell that she was obviously concerned about telling others. Harry cursed himself for being stupid and forgetting that this was something very personal for Ginny. "Well, I was thinking of telling them that I stopped Malfoy from… assaulting you in the hallway and that I hexed him badly. I think they need to know what the professors said, but I can, err, leave out any details you feel uncomfortable talking about?"

"No, I think they need to know everything about Malfoy… Hermione and Luna need to know so that they can be careful. I'm okay telling them, especially since he didn't get to lay a hand on me," Ginny said, although her face told Harry that she was still worried about something.

"Ginny, do you want to tell me what you're thinking? Uh… another perspective could help, right?" Harry asked reassuringly.

"Well it's silly really… I just get annoyed when everyone treats me like I'm a little girl who needs to be protected, especially my family. I don't really mind when you do it, but that's because you treat me like I'm a woman. The rest of them… ever since my first year, they have been always keeping a patronizing eye on me. Just when I thought they were finally going to accept that I don't need their protection, it gets proven that I do need to be protected and not let out of their eyesight…" Ginny said gloomily.

Harry thought it over for a minute and then replied, "Just because you or I need someone to watch our back doesn't mean we need to be treated like a child."

"But they do both at the same time! They don't understand the difference. Mum will want to remove me from Hogwarts and lock me up in Headquarters if she finds out."

"One day they will understand that you have grown up, just like hopefully one day Dumbledore will understand the same about me. I know how annoying it can be; I was ready to tear my hair out. But you know what happened then?"

"What?" Ginny questioned.

"I found someone who did understand me; someone who's perspective brought color into my life," Harry said, giving Ginny a kiss on the nose and causing her to giggle.

Ginny nodded and softly said, "I found you too, Harry. I understand what you mean; sometimes I tell myself that as long as you understand, I couldn't care less about everyone else. It's wonderful to share this with you…"

"But it can't make up for your Mum thinking that you're too young to be near me and thus near to the war?" Harry said, doing his best to read her emotions.

After Ginny nodded, he continued, "I don't mean for this to sound inconsiderate, but there's nothing you can do except continue to be the woman I know. It may be frustrating as hell, but you just have to keep going forward. Hopefully your family will come to their senses soon; I think your dad already has."

"Thanks, Harry," Ginny said, giving him a squeeze. "I don't know what I'd do without you either."

The six students were very shocked by Ginny's assault and were taking their training sessions much more seriously. Harry guessed that they had simply needed proof that what he had said about the Malfoy situation was true. Three days had passed since the meeting in Dumbledore's office, but Malfoy was still in the hospital wing, so no disciplinary actions could be taken. Harry had heard that Malfoy had a broken right arm, two cracked ribs, and a dislocated left shoulder. Harry was anxious for Dumbledore to hurry up and expel Malfoy before anything unexpected happened, such as the Ministry getting involved, but Harry did feel a little bad for nearly killing the blonde boy. Not that he wouldn't shove Malfoy in Azkaban if he had the power to do that…

"All right guys, we're going to do some sparring using the Siu Nam Tao attacks, blocks, and dodges that we have learned. You guys have learned all of the moves in Siu Nam Tao, but that's only half of it. You have to learn how to use it against a moving object and learn how to stay in balance when you use the moves. You also have to be aware of you opponent's stance and constantly adjust your position accordingly. This is something that we are going to do every day, because if you can't spar using the Siu Nam Tao moves, the rest of Wing Chun will be inaccessible to you," Harry said, dividing his friends into pairs.

"Harry, how are we supposed to hit the other person without hurting them?" Hermione asked, looking a little nervous.

"I'm getting to that. First of all, no strikes to any sensitive spots. On real enemies, it's good to know where those sensitive areas are, so you can practice that on the dummies. Today what we will do is one person will do one of the hand or foot attacks, and the opponent will dodge or block the attack. Then the person who dodges will attack. With practice, you guys should eventually be able to trade attacks rapidly," Harry said firmly, but encouragingly.

Harry turned to Ron and yelled for everyone to get into fighting stance. Harry began by delivering a quick left-handed punch aimed at Ron's chest. Ron parried the blow by an elbow block, but in doing so he left nearly his whole body unguarded. Harry thought about stepping in and ramming his elbow into Ron's abdomen, but then reminded himself that they were supposed to alternate blows.

After they continued to trade blows while Harry shouted out the many things Ron was forgetting, Harry called for a break and then switched partners, allowing him to work with other people. Harry remembered how badly he had been trounced when he began to spar with Tonks, so he took it easy on the novices. He was fairly confident that they would soon be able to outfight most of the people at Hogwarts.

The one thing that concerned Harry was that he himself was only a novice. In a few months, he will have taught the five others everything Tonks had taught him over the summer. That would barely break the surface of Wing Chun, which required many years of training under an expert instructor to become an expert in. He needed to find a way to receive instruction in martial arts if he truly wanted to become good at it. Plus, having an instructor would allow Harry to concentrate on perfecting his moves rather than trying to keep an eye on everyone.

Harry decided to think about how he could get Tonks to come teach them. At the very least, it would be helpful if she could come once a week or so, so that she could help Harry teach them and point out things he was missing. Harry thought about asking Dumbledore for permission to allow Tonks to come to Hogwarts to teach them martial arts, but he was a bit unsure about how the Headmaster would react. He was obviously uncomfortable with the 'new Harry', and if he thought that Tonks was one of the people responsible for Harry's rebelliousness, Dumbledore would most likely try to siphon information from her. Harry finally decided to follow Ginny's advice; waiting and taking in the circumstances and then deciding which course of action would be best.

Another option would be for Harry to just teach them as much as he could now, and over Christmas break and summer, have Tonks teach them. The ideal solution would be to have Tonks train them year round, but if that wouldn't be possible, daily sessions over the holidays would help.

Ginny shouted something at Harry, bringing him out of his thoughts. "Hey Harry, you're keeping us overtime again," Ginny said loudly, but she lacked a serious expression. Out of all of them, Ginny was the most enthusiastic about learning how to defend herself, so Harry knew she wasn't really mad.

Ron, on the other hand, was rather concerned about consuming as much breakfast as possible. "Bloody hell, there won't be any left if we don't get a move on," Ron said, already moving towards the changing room.

"Guess we'll have to wake up earlier then," Harry said, smirking at the look of horror on his friend's face.

The sixth year Gryffindors gloomily walked down to the dungeons, muttering about greasy haired gits. Harry hoped that Defense Against the Dark Arts might be a bit better than usual because Malfoy would not be there, but with this dueling tournament coming up, Harry had a feeling Snape was going to be exceptionally nasty. Harry scratched his head in confusion, remembering that Snape couldn't be too nasty to him because they were both fighting for Malfoy's expulsion… but then again, they were supposedly both against Voldemort and that certainly didn't cause Snape to harbor any kind feelings towards Harry.

Harry sat in his customary seat far away from the Slytherins, a few of which were glaring daggers at him. Harry sighed; he had hoped that without the presence of Malfoy the Slytherins would tone down their animosity towards Gryffindor, but instead they blamed Harry for hospitalizing their star student.

Defense Against the Dark Arts class passed without any major incidents. Snape still docked Gryffindor points whenever he could, but Harry noticed that Snape never purposefully provoked him personally. Mainly he just lectured on about defensive spells, pointing out how hard they would be for certain people to use properly, but never specifically mentioning Harry. Perhaps he remembered what had happened when he questioned Harry's prowess in the area of Shield Charms…

Harry shrugged; class was a bit annoying but it certainly was a lot better than last year's travesty of a defense class. Harry constantly tried to find fault with Snape's teachings, but no matter how carefully he analyzed Snape's words, he had to admit that Snape was very knowledgeable. Harry finally gave up on trying to find evidence that Snape was incompetent and instead he kept his ears open for information that wasn't covered in the Tome of Shadows. Harry planned to win Snape's silly tournament and then defeat Snape at the end, so he tried to figure out from Snape's lectures what he should expect from Snape in the tournament.

He already knew Snape had a way of cleaving through magical shields; a way that the Half-Blood Prince didn't know about. He wished Snape had blurted out the spell so he could have learned the incantation…

Harry decided that maybe he needed to take a different approach to preparing for the duel with Snape. Instead of trying to find a spell that fit the characteristics of Snape's spell, he needed to search for a way to stop himself from being hit by it. Perhaps since it only seemed to react with the magical presence of his shield, Harry could simply lower his shield, let the crescent of light hit him, and then put his shield back in place to absorb the next spell? When the magic of Snape's spell had hit Harry's shield, the magical clash had caused Harry to be knocked back. Perhaps that could be avoided by just allowing the spell to pass through him, allowing him to keep his balance as well as not waste time and energy recasting a Shield Spell.

"Potter!" Snape spat loudly. "May I ask why you haven't been taking any notes during my class?"

"Well, I've written down everything that I don't know already. You see, sir, we had a rather good professor in our third year who-"

"Enough! You will see me after class. For the remaining five minutes of class, I expect you to make use of your quill, or I will put you in detention," Snape said icily.

Harry's face was scrunched up in confusion. Why would he be seeing Snape after class when the normal procedure would be to deduct house points or give a detention? He hoped Snape wasn't going to grill him on his use of magic against Malfoy or anything like that…

After a long five minutes, Harry told his friends he would catch up with them later and waited behind in his least favorite classroom.

"Potter, listen, Dumbledore doesn't want me to tell you this, but you need to know," Snape said uneasily.

"Um… what's it about?" Harry asked cautiously. This was not what he was expecting…

"The Dark Lord has captured the Dursleys and has ordered me to tell you that they will be killed by eight o'clock tonight at the graveyard you are so familiar with. I believe a dozen Death Eaters will be there, including Voldemort. Dumbledore plans to lead a rescue mission with eighteen Order members, but he has omitted Tonks, Remus, and the Weasleys from this mission, most likely because he doesn't want you to go. In fact, he nearly made me swear an Unbreakable Vow not to tell you."

Harry took a minute to absorb all of this information. "Why do you want me to go?" he asked suspiciously.

"Because…" Snape scrunched up his face and sighed. "Because if you remain behind, I am required to give you a Portkey that will bring you there. The Dark Lord needs you there for some reason. If you do not go, I will be killed. Wait, listen Potter! If you want to remain behind, I will make the Vow not to forcibly give you the Portkey and my status as a spy will be lost."

"Why would you do that for me?" Harry said skeptically. He was rather sure that Snape had some ulterior motive.

Snape pulled out a clear, liquid vial that Harry recognized instantly. Snape promptly tipped three drops into his mouth.

"Potter, I, Severus Snape, promise that I am on the side of the Light. I hate Voldemort and I loathe my wretched life as a spy. I am willing to die if that will mean his death," Snape said clearly and slowly. He then popped another potion into his mouth, most likely the antidote to the Veritaserum. "Listen, Potter. I believe he will bring more than a dozen Death Eaters to the graveyard. He plans on killing a few Order members and then having you arrive, outnumbered and unaware of your surroundings. That cannot happen!"

"Then what do you want me to do?" said Harry warily, wishing he could perform Legilimency on Snape and figure out if he was lying about anything.

"I've seen you fight, Potter. I hate to say this, but… you're better than most Death Eaters and most Order members. I also know that you want to fight and you want to minimize casualties on our side. If you are there, less Order members will die. The other option, which is you not attending, will result in my death. I doubt you're ready to fight him yet, but I believe that you can defeat enough Death Eaters to allow us to outnumber his forces and force him to retreat. If you do not come, I suspect Dumbledore will get locked in a duel with the Dark Lord while the Death Eaters will use their numbers against us."

"Well… why would Dumbledore even go? I mean, the Dursleys… aren't worth it. Diagon Alley is worth guarding, not the Dursleys!" Harry said heatedly.

"Because the Dursleys aren't the only captives…" Snape said slowly. "Every single family living in Privet Drive has been abducted."

Harry sat stunned, his mouth open in horror. "Wh-what? He couldn't have--"

"He did, Potter. I am still under the effect of the potion, so I am telling the truth! Thirty-one people were abducted, five are already dead. Dumbledore has no choice; if he doesn't show up, Voldemort will kill them or worse, turn them into Inferi."

"So… what the hell can we do?" Harry asked, willing himself to think rationally and put a calm face forward.

"We, Potter, have three choices. One, the Order can show up to combat the Death Eaters, and perhaps I can invent a story as to why I failed to abduct a sixteen year-old, overconfident, pest. Second, I give you the Portkey after receiving the signal, which is a flare of pain in my forearm. This is not an option, because you will be transported in between the Dark Lord and his army. The third option is that you arrive there at the graveyard along with the Order. That way, the Order can protect your back from Voldemort, while you help fight against the Death Eaters."

"You actually agree that I should be a… soldier in this war?" Harry asked incredulously.

"Potter, I doubt you even know the meaning of that word. No, as much as I hate to admit it, I do believe that you are a better fighter than the majority of the Order. I also don't believe that you are too good for getting your hands dirty and risking your life like the rest of us. That being said, I… I wouldn't be able to throw you out to the Dark Lord. There is only one course of action."

Harry thought it over, realizing that what Snape was saying did make sense. He could help the Order or he could be Dumbledore's perfect little child and stay at home. If what Snape said was true, then Harry knew what his decision would be. If Snape was lying and had somehow fooled Harry with his Veritaserum trick, then the consequences could be death. But Snape had vowed that he hated Voldemort… "I'll do it. I can Portkey in as soon as Dumbledore arrives there. This way he won't be able to send me back. It's time I get the chance to fight," Harry said firmly, looking Snape in the eye. "You're right. I'm not too good to get my hands dirty; I deserve to risk my life as much as any of you do. I've never thought that I was more important than anyone else."

"Meet me here at eight o'clock sharp. I have altered the Portkey so that you instead will arrive by Dumbledore's side. The Dark Lord will most likely have put up anti-Portkey wards. I would advise you not to tell your friends and guardians. Remus and Tonks are currently on guard duty and we need some people on the outside incase the Dark Lord has a few minor Death Eaters attack Muggles," Snape said without much emotion, but not coldly.

"Okay… this had better not be a pile of rubbish, because if it is, neither Dumbledore nor Voldemort will be able to stop me from ripping you apart limb by limb," Harry said darkly, turning at leaving with his warning hanging in the air.

"Potter, let us get something straight. I still think you are an arrogant brat, just like your father. You wouldn't last ten seconds against me in a duel. However, I have realized that you are not "good-for-nothing" like I have called you many times. You can fight. I hate to admit this, but… I believe the prophecy. Now get out and think about what I have said," Snape said, looking away from Harry.

Harry caught up with his friends at lunch, but he wasn't very good conversation. Snape's words were echoing in his ears and thoughts of battling Death Eaters filled his mind. He had been studying all summer and this was his chance to finally do something. He had to take this chance; if Voldemort wanted to route the Order, he would do so over Harry's dead body. While he knew he wasn't nearly as powerful as Voldemort was, he still had a better chance of surviving than just about any Order member. This wasn't a stupid 'saving people' thing; it was a smart 'saving people' thing. He had the opportunity to help out, so why shouldn't he? If he didn't go and someone he cared about died, would he be able to live with himself? Hell, if he could save one or two Muggles with a couple hours of his time, what kind of person would he be if he refused?

After Care of Magical Creatures, Harry was starting to get anxious. Ron and Hermione had noticed that he wasn't paying the least bit of attention, but Harry had played it off as having a headache. He didn't know whether he should tell them or not. If he did, they would insist on coming with him; something that Harry did not want to happen. It wasn't that he was trying to act like Dumbledore and treat them as kids; it was because they had not trained enough. But he had to tell them something so that he didn't lose their trust.

Harry beckoned them over to his side after class and led them to the Room of Requirement.

"What's wrong, Harry?" Ginny asked as soon as they settled.

"Tonight I have to leave on a mission with the Order," Harry said simply.

"But you can't, you're not of age!" Hermione said immediately, firing up as soon as Harry began the word "Order".

"Uh… well this one's different. I can't tell you about it yet, but I promise to tomorrow, ok?" Harry said cautiously, looking at five rebellious faces.

"We're not going to let you run off alone on some bloody Order business, Potter!" Ginny said fiercely, glaring at him angrily. "If you have to go, we're coming too. It's just like last year, we were able to help then, and we can help now."

The others nodded in agreement and Ron voiced his thoughts next. "I thought the reason we were training was so that we could watch each others back and not leave any of us behind."

Harry shuffled his feet. "Look, it's different this time. I don't want you guys to go because as it is I'm not… well, you can't go, sorry." Harry cursed mentally as he realized his slip.

"You're not supposed to go either," Ginny concluded for him. "Let me guess, there's going to be some sort of battle and you found out about it and want to help. Well, guess what! We want to help too. We are a part of the war."

"Look, it's not like that. You guys can't go because you can't get there and even if you could, I wouldn't want you there. The only reason I have to go is because I've trained for it during summer. I promise you guys can go next time, okay? After you've trained a bit more. Please, don't argue with me about this; I need you guys to stay at Hogwarts," Harry said, adopting his leader voice.

"Can you at least tell us where you're going?" Ginny asked in such a way that Harry could not refuse.

Harry sighed and began, "I'm not supposed to tell you, but here goes. The Order is raiding one of Voldemort's hideouts and I need to go with them. I'm not planning to battle him, but I do have to be there. Look, I know this sounds like one of my stupid 'saving people' things, but it's different this time." Harry didn't like the lie, but he didn't want to mention anything about Snape just yet. Also, if he used the 'I had a vision' excuse, they would no doubt think Harry was being hoodwinked.

"I think it is best that we allow Harry to solve his inner demons," Luna said serenely.

Harry interrupted Ron and Hermione's mumbling towards Luna by saying, "Thanks, Luna. She is sorta right, you know. I need to go because I believe it is the right thing to do. If I don't go, then bad stuff will happen."

"Harry, I hate this. I hate, hate, hate when you go putting yourself in danger while I sit on the sidelines and feel helpless," Ginny said emotionally, a tear forming in her eye.

"I'm sorry, Ginny, I don't know what to say. When I get back you can bat-bogey me until I no longer have a nose, ok?" Harry said, his attempt at humor failing miserably. "Seriously, I will be OK and when I get back I'll tell you guys everything. Well everything that relates to the night's events, at least."

"Harry, I don't think you should go. If Dumbledore himself is going, he will be able to control the situation. Also, if you do leave school grounds, he won't expel you, but he may force you to stay under his watch or something," Hermione said rapidly, not stopping to let Harry interrupt her attempt to change his mind.

"Hermione, please-"

"I think she's right, Harry," Ginny said forcefully. "Please don't take this the wrong way, but this whole situation seems a lot like last year. How do you know your source of information was right? How do you know it's not an ambush?"

Hermione subtly elbowed Ron in an attempt to enlist his aid in the conversation. "Well, I still think we should all just go with you. I know you don't want that, but we don't like being treated as children anymore than you do." Harry made to interrupt but Ron plowed on with, "And… if it's so dangerous that we can't go, then you shouldn't be going either."

"Harry, we did hold our own in the Ministry last year," Neville reminded.

Harry realized he wasn't going to change their minds and they weren't likely to change his. "Fine. I'll think about it, but in the end, I will have to make a decision, ok? I've been training for this type of thing like a bloody madman…"

"But Harry! You got fooled last time and I have a feeling it will happen again! It's just like last year, don't you see. You randomly decided that you had to get to the Ministry and now you're randomly deciding to go to Merlin-knows-where!" Hermione said frantically.

Harry took a few deep breaths so he wouldn't explode. "Look, I thought I would warn you lot like a good friend should, but I really wouldn't have if I had known you would try to use the Department of Mysteries against me over and over. I made a mistake last year, okay? I'm not making a similar mistake, I promise."

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to bring that up. All I was trying to point out is that this is awfully fishy, even you have to admit that."

"I'll explain everything afterward, I promise," Harry said slowly and calmingly.

Ginny sighed, one part of her wanting to rope him to his bed and make sure he didn't go anywhere remotely dangerous. The other part of her realized that she loved Harry because of the way he always did what he believed was right. If he believed what he was doing was the right thing to do, then she should support him, not impede him. Harry hated when people told him he needed to stay safe, so she wasn't about to do that to him.

"Okay Harry," Ginny said reassuringly. Suddenly her expression changed. "But, you listen good, if you come back with one single, bloody scratch, I swear you'll be picking Bat-bogeys out of your nose for a month."

"Yes ma'am," Harry replied cheekily. "Looking forward to it."

A/N: Please review, I'd be interested to know what you think of Snape so far.

I know a few of you will be rather irked at me for not revealing what happened to Malfoy Jr. I know, we all want to kill him, but it won't be that easy.


	8. Chapter 8: The Path of Pain

8. The Path of Pain

As dinner approached, Harry believed he had reached a decision. He would wait until Dumbledore left and then take Snape's Portkey. According to Snape, the Order would leave a little before eight o'clock. He shrunk his Lightning Strike into his pocket, incase he needed to flee rapidly. If that didn't work, he could always turn into a lion and run for it, at least until he ran past the anti-Portkey wards. His new wand was strapped to his right forearm and his old wand was in his pocket.

He walked into the Great Hall, quietly picking at a bit of roast chicken and potatoes. Eating wasn't possible when one was thinking of the plethora of things that could go wrong.

As dinner was coming to a close, Harry noticed that Dumbledore was no longer sitting at his seat in the center of the staff table. _Shit, he probably took off early,_ Harry thought as he gave Ginny a quick kiss and proceeded out of the Great Hall. Snape's dungeon door was open but he wasn't there. Instead Harry found a note on his desk.

_Potter_

_The mission's off. The captives never had a chance; their corpses lie in the graveyard. I… I'm sorry._

_Stay at school. I was under the belief that there would be an attack at Little Hangleton, but Voldemort used that to lure the Order away from his other targets. I wasn't told; I took it from Lucius's mind. While Dumbledore is taking the Order to guard the various possibilities for an attack, the Dark Lord has summoned me to his side. Please, do nothing rash. We now have the situation under control. I have deactivated the Portkey, please do not try to activate it. _

_S.S. _

Harry mulled the letter over in his mind. He fought down the stab of revulsion that ripped into his stomach as he read about the fate of his neighbors. Voldemort's plan was to draw the Order to the graveyard, while he caused havoc elsewhere.

_Other targets…_ what could those be? Madam Bones and the Weasleys were his prime targets as far as Harry knew. The Weasleys would be safe in Grimmauld Place; his Family Key grew warm when there was a change in the status of the property, so he knew that as long as the Weasleys were inside of Grimmauld Place, they would be okay. Madam Bones on the other hand…

Another thought shook Harry; Remus and Tonks were guarding Bones. He had to get there right now; they could be hurt or worse. Unfortunately there was no Portkey for him to take. _Damn… I suppose I'll have to sit out and be Dumbledore's goody-goody boy…_ Harry clenched his fist in anger; he couldn't do that, staying behind wasn't an option, especially if Remus and Tonks were in danger. He supposed he could transport himself to Grimmauld Place and fly on his broomstick to Bones's house, but he had no idea where that was, or if Remus and Tonks were even on guard duty there.

Then another thought struck his mind and he cursed himself for not thinking of it sooner. His phoenix transformation was nearly complete. If he could just transform now and flame to Bones's house… but he still didn't know where it was. Harry thought back to when Fawkes had appeared in the Chamber of Secrets and wondered how the magical bird had done that, since supposedly no one knew where the chamber was located. The answer was simple; the phoneix hadn't been looking for the chamber at all; it used its ability to flame to find to Harry.

Harry calmed himself, slipping into a familiar state of meditation. After a few minutes had passed, he stood up and pictured his beautiful, fiery, green-eyed phoenix in his mind, willing every human attribute of his to morph into that of the phoenix. He felt the invigorating burn of magic flowing through his blood. He did not have to see himself to know that the transformation had worked; he could feel it. With a beat of his wings he surged into the air.

He thought of Lupin and willed himself to enter the flaming vortex. He shot through the fiery inferno, until the colors got brighter and brighter. Finally he found himself behind a large tree. He gasped at what he saw and quickly transformed back into a human. Lupin was cradling Tonks's body, which was covered in nasty scrapes and cuts. Lupin's wand was working furiously to mend the many bleeding wounds, but there were so many of them…

A blast from the other side of the tree jolted Harry's mind back into gear. He risked a peak around the tree, seeing seven masked figures in black robes slowly walking towards them. Behind them stood three Death Eaters who were blasting their way inside a large home that looked like a Victorian manor. Harry cursed, realizing the seven Death Eaters would soon be face to face with him.

"Moony!" Harry said, getting the man's attention. "I'll go from the right side of the tree. You take left." Harry quickly cast a spell on Tonks that caused her body to be wrapped in a soft linen cloth. "She'll be ok, GO!"

Harry strafed sideways, casting a Concusssion Curse on the closest Death Eater. He ducked, watching a violent yellow curse fly over his head. He responded by sending a powerful Blasting Hex towards the center of the group.

He heard Lupin shout "_Stupefy!_", taking down the left-most Death Eater who had ran to the left to avoid Harry's Blasting Hex.

"_Protego!_" Harry said, using his shield to deflect a "_Diffindo_" aimed at his neck.

"GET THE BOY!" Harry heard the rough voice of a Death Eater shout angrily. Before he could react, he saw three jets of green light rocket towards him, as well as one sickly orange curse. Harry dived immediately, aiming for refuge behind the tree. Unfortunately, a familiar curse hit him in the air, causing him to change his trajectory and fall to the ground writhing in pain.

While every synapse in is body was burning in pain, he tried to force himself to think clearly. He struggled to open an eye and saw that one Death Eater was holding him under the Cruciatus Curse, while the others were training their wands on him. As soon as the effects of the curse wore off, Harry saw three red jets of light and two green ones arching towards his head. He rapidly rolled away from the two green ones and prepared for the impact of the Stunning Spells. There was nothing he could do to stop them, but luckily for Harry someone nearby was thinking quickly.

"_Contego_", Tonks muttered, creating a blue, shimmering shield around Harry, which blocked the spells.

From the other side of the tree, Lupin ran towards the Death Eaters furiously, yelling, "_Lacerus!_", which caused a red slash to rip through the chest of one Death Eater. Lupin kept his wand trained on the Death Eater, causing the large wound to deepen slowly.

Lupin grimaced in disgust, hating what he was doing, but didn't raise his wand until the Death Eater lay still.

Harry's mind was kicked back in gear, remembering he had three more Death Eaters still standing. The Death Eaters were going for the kill; he had to let his killer instinct loose; he had to slip into the mind state where all that existed was the enemy and the surroundings.

He cast a strong Propelling Charm on a nearby rock, causing it to fly towards the Death Eaters. They stopped it by levitating it off to the side, but that was before they realized what was following _behind_ the rock. The Bone Breaking Curse collided with the center Death Eater's shield, but didn't pass through. However, Harry had foreseen that happening and his gray, murky curse was followed by a jet of purple haze, which cannoned into the chest of the tall Death Eater.

Harry couldn't help but feel a grim sense of satisfaction as Dolohov got a dose of his own medicine. Harry jumped to the side, avoiding a Cruciatus Curse and put up a strong shield, which deflected a Severing Curse that looked rather nasty.

Harry noticed that Lupin's shoulders were sagging and he was breathing heavily. He had most likely been fighting for more time than Harry. Lupin was bleeding from a cut bicep in his left arm and Harry knew that Lupin, as well as Tonks, needed medical attention as soon as possible.

"_Stupefy!_" Harry snarled, attacking the Death Eater that was dueling Lupin. Lupin, even in his tired state, was still fully occupying the masked man, so he never saw Harry's spell arching towards him.

The remaining Death Eater seemed to have lost all desire to fight as Harry moved towards him, his wand pointing at his throat. He reached frantically into his robes, but Harry was too quick. Harry stunned him before he could grab his Portkey.

Harry surveyed the grounds around him, seeing seven robed bodies on the grass. One person was definitely dead; a deep, wide, diagonal slash violently burrowed into the man's chest. Harry looked away before he became sick, reminding himself that there were still things to do.

"Lupin! You need to take her to St. Mungo's right now. You could use the rest too," Harry said, grabbing the arm of the heavily-breathing man.

"But… what about you? You need-" Lupin asked.

"I'll be fine and I'll answer your questions later. GO!" Harry looked at Tonks pointedly, sending Lupin off in her direction.

"I'm not going without you, Harry. If you want to stay, we'll fight together--"

"No, Moony, please, trust me. You need to get Tonks to the hospital. I'll be back really soon."

"Harry, be safe. You don't know how proud I am of you," he said, nodding at Harry before he clutched Tonks and Disapparated.

Harry turned back to the bodies on the floor. Dolohov didn't seem to be moving, but Harry believed he would most likely survive. There was another body that wasn't moving, but this one had a deep diagonal slash, from the right shoulder to the left hip. For some reason, Harry didn't even think about blaming Lupin for killing the man. What he was bothered by was the fact that _he_ felt no sympathy; no regret.

He was torn away from his thoughts by a blast that came out of the old-fashioned window on the third floor of the manor. The glass exploded outwards and rained onto the green lawn. Harry cursed; he had forgotten all about the three masked murders who had blasted their way in the house.

"_Accio wands,_" Harry said, remembering Professor Flitwick using the Summoning Charm to collect multiple examinations. Sure enough, wands flew towards Harry, which he quickly snapped. "_Incarcerous,_" Harry muttered; one by one tying up the robed figures.

He ran towards to house, using his ears to lead him to the battle. After climbing an elegant flight of stairs, Harry saw a portrait of a middle-aged man with black hair. Harry glanced at the name written on the portrait. _Trevor Joshua Longbottom_… Harry guessed that this must be the Longbottom's house. That meant Neville's grandmother…

Harry hastened up the stairs frantically, thinking that it would be over his dead body that his loyal friend Neville would be the last of his family. He burst into a large room, seeing the sleek, blonde hair of Lucius Malfoy tower over Augusta Longbottoms's body that was writhing on the floor. Harry saw Crabbe Sr. lying on the ground, either dead or unconscious, and Goyle off to the side, chuckling at the scene in front of him.

Harry quickly shot a Stunning Spell at Lucius Malfoy, hitting him in the back and knocking him over. He really wanted to do a lot more damage to the cruel man, but he knew that whatever would take the woman out from under the Cruciatus first would be best. On the other side of Malfoy he saw Goyle Sr. pointing his wand at Malfoy and muttering the spell that would revive him.

Harry reacted quickly, sending a Concussion Curse towards the large Death Eater, figuring that if he was a quarter-giant, he would still be dropped. However, Harry heard a scratchy voice from behind him say, "_Ennervate_"

Harry cursed and wheeled around, seeing Wormtail's sleazy face. _That pesky, little coward_…

_Sectumsempra!_ Harry thought, training his wand on Wormtail's infuriating rat-like face. Harry felt a surge of power as Wormtail's skin was cut and scraped. Wormtail's screams made Harry feel empowered and Harry poured more energy into his spell, hoping to finish the traitor and avenge his parents and Sirius.

However, just as scabs and dark red scrapes began to break out across Peter Pettigrew's face and upper body, Harry noticed a sizzling green spray hissing towards him from Lucius Malfoy's wand. Not knowing what was coming at him, he tried to dive out of the way, but he couldn't fully move out of the wide spray. He wandlessly cast a shield and turned his head away and angled his body to minimize the area that could be hurt if the spell wasn't stopped. The green liquid sizzled as it connected with his shield but most of it managed to continue through to Harry. His arms protected his head and neck, but the liquid clung to the side of his chest and left arm. With horror he realized that the green liquid was corrosively eating its way through his clothes. Harry grimaced in pain as it connected with his skin and began to burn painfully. A gray, sickly smoke wafted out from Harry's wounded arm. Harry bit his lip and clenched his fists tightly in pain, knowing he had to do something before the acid burned deeper. Harry bit his lip hard, forcing himself not to swoon and give into the pain. A few seconds later, Harry was screaming at the top of his voice in pain and horror at the acidic liquid did not stop once it had dissolved his skin. A sickening stench filled his nose as blood and flesh were charred. He had to do something now!

"_Aguamenti,_" Harry muttered desperately, praying that the spell would have a positive effect. The water doused his left side and as it connected with the acid, the area seemed to boil. He screamed in pain once again as his wounds were scalded by the boiling water. The water was vaporizing as his skin seemed to be cauterizing, a sickly pink tissue forming over the tissue that was eaten away. It was no longer causing agonizing pain, but it did feel very unpleasant. Harry savagely told himself to not succumb to the pain, knowing Malfoy was liable to throw another curse at him as soon as he realized that Harry would survive the previous one.

"Potter… I was not expecting you. The Dark Lord was so sure that Muggle-loving fool would keep you confined with your filthy friends…" Lucius sneered coldly.

As much as Harry hated the sound of the senior Malfoy's voice, he was grateful for the chance to catch his breath. "Then I suppose there are many things the uppity half-blood doesn't tell his pure-blood _servants_," Harry said smirking, buying himself time. His arm was burning with discomfort, but he knew that if he moved his left side, the discomfort would turn into head-splitting pain.

"How dare you! I'll spit on your rotting corpse after I'm finished with you. You surprised me last time, brat, but this time, you have no chance."

"You just don't realize it, do you? You're doomed to always serve him and be tortured whenever he gets a headache… He has assumed control of the Malfoy bank; he doesn't tell you his plans even when you're the one leading a certain attack… and soon you'll be dead or in Azkaban along with your son. Your whole rotten, inbred, dark family will go extinct because of him. Now I know he gives you Muggles to torture once in a while, but is it really worth it? What are you gaining by licking the feet of that deranged half-blood?" Harry said angrily.

Malfoy apparently couldn't think of any words to respond with, so he instead pointed his wand and Harry's chest and yelled, "_Avada Kedavra_".

Harry had braced himself and was ready to dodge the spell before it came at him. He jumped to the side, landing on the balls of his feet, sending a Stunning Spell at the tall, blonde. More dangerous spells were at the tip of his tongue, but with Mrs. Longbottom's unconscious body lying near Malfoy, he didn't want to use anything too harmful.

"_Protego,_" Malfoy muttered lazily, rendering Harry's Stunning Spell useless. "_Crucio!_"

Harry dropped to the floor as the curse flew over his head, hitting Wormtail, who was busy trying to bandage his scabs. Harry suddenly had a brilliant idea of how to neutralize Malfoy without the chance of Neville's grandmother getting hit by a spell. He used a Summoning Charm on Lucius Malfoy, putting as much raw magical energy as possible into the spell.

"_Arresto Momentum,_" he heard Malfoy yell, but Harry was using his wand as well as his left hand to force the Death Eater towards him. His left side was screaming in pain as he moved it, but he forced himself not to faint. As Malfoy realized he couldn't overpower Harry's Summoning Charm, the man trained his wand on Harry, muttering the words for a Killing Curse. However, before Malfoy could finish his spell, Harry's left hand had stopped adding power to his Summoning Charm, shooting a wandless, nonverbal Concussion Curse at Malfoy. Malfoy, much to Harry's amazement, was able to duck the curse and was now only five feet away from Harry. Malfoy shot a Slicing Curse at Harry, which Harry dodged by rolling to the side. Unfortunately, this put pressure on his cauterized wounds and Harry tasted blood as he bit his lips to hold in a scream.

Malfoy towered over him now, sneering and laughing cruelly. "Goodbye, Harry Potter. I see I was right when I said you would meet the same sticky end as your parents. Avada--"

In pure desperation, Harry thrust his wand forward, willing his last reserves of energy to save him in his moment of need. A jet of red light thudded into Malfoy's head before he could finish his incantation.

Harry collapsed to his knees, breathing heavily. After the adrenaline from the fight had stopped coursing through his veins, he realized that he was exhausted and couldn't move his left arm without messages of pain being sent to his brain. _No! Potter, don't give in now. You've got to get back…_

While his brain was screaming at him, his body seemed determined to allow him the rest he needed. His eyes were wide open, but black spots jaded his vision. He used every bit of energy he could muster to transform into a phoenix, telling himself that as soon as he flamed back to Hogwarts he could rest. He hobbled over to Augusta Longbottom, knowing she would need medical attention also. Unfortunately, he couldn't move his left wing without sharp pangs piercing the injured area. Finally he reached the woman's arm and clutched it with his talons. A few seconds later they were hurtling towards the Hogwarts infirmary and he plopped Neville's grandmother on one bed, transformed back into a human, and collapsed unceremoniously onto the next bed.

Ginny Weasley was beyond worried. He was supposed to be back by now… he promised… Her reasonable side was telling her that Harry could take care of himself, but she couldn't help but imagine horrible things happening to the man she loved. She was sure of it now; Harry Potter was the man she loved and no longer the boy who she liked. What would she do if she never got a chance to tell him… _No Ginevra! Don't think like that. He will be fine!_ she told herself, but nothing would make her worries go away. She decided to sneak over to Harry's room and take his Marauder's Map so that she would know if he returned. She was restless and needed something to do so that she could feel as if she were being useful in some fashion. By scanning over the map repeatedly, she would ensure that if Harry returned to a different part of Hogwarts and needed help, she could be there immediately.

She curled up on in Harry's bed, drawing the curtains around her and began to read the map. Two minutes later, she was tearing off to the Hospital Wing with Harry's cloak draped over her body.

Dumbledore was waving his wand furiously, his piercing eyes squinted in concentration. Twelve unconscious Death Eaters lay next to him at Madam Bones's house, but he was still extremely angry, both towards himself and Tom Riddle. After the Order members had arrived at Little Hangleton, they had found the corpses of Vernon, Petunia, and Dudley Dursley. Then there was a large pit dug in the center of the graveyard filled with corpses… Dumbledore hadn't let the Order members see the bodies. He had conjured a mound of dirt and sealed the pit before anyone could look inside. He knew that they wouldn't be able to look at their faces without losing control of his emotions, even the grisly, scarred ones like Moody.

Dumbledore quickly surmised that Voldemort had planned to draw them away from his true target, which Severus had reported to be Bones. The Order had Apparated in, quickly defeated the twelve Death Eaters, and saved Madam Bones. However, when trying to exit the property, Dumbledore had realized that there were extremely powerful wards surrounding the property that would not allow the Order to leave, some of which were modeled after the wards protecting Hogwarts. Dumbledore once again cursed himself for falling so perfectly into Tom Riddle's trap. However, had they not gone to Madam Bones's rescue, the twelve Death Eaters, even if they were amateurs, would most likely have accomplished their goal. The complexity of the situation made him yearn for a lemon drop and a good night's sleep.

He wished he had brought Bill Weasley and Remus Lupin along with him; they would have perhaps given him the assistance he needed to overpower Tom's interwoven containment wards. Unfortunately, he had not taken those two along with him, knowing that they were liable to pass information on to Harry, and the last thing he wanted was for Harry to be drawn out of school like last year. Dumbledore sighed and refocused his mind on the wards that refused to go down. It was almost as if Voldemort was reinforcing them as Dumbledore penetrated them… Dumbledore felt a bit relieved at that thought. If Voldemort was here working on the wards, Harry most likely wasn't in danger.

Dumbledore was now muttering words at a rapid rate, his wand weaving intricate symbols. He was making progress now; the balance was tipping in his favor. He realized that this must mean Voldemort had left the battle. After negating enough of the wards so that Portkeys would be usable, he made two Portkeys. One was for St. Mungo's and one was for Hogwarts. Dumbledore feared that Voldemort's departure meant that he had been alerted to Harry's location, so he quickly took the Portkey to his office. He ordered the Order members to check individual areas for signs of battle and then he turned to Fawkes, asking that the phoenix transport him to Harry Potter.

He found himself in the Hospital Wing, seeing Harry lying in bed asleep, with Ginny gently washing his wounds; on a nearby bed lay Augusta Longbottom, who appeared to be unconscious.

"Miss Weasley, what are you and Mr. Potter doing here at this hour?" Dumbledore asked, thoroughly confused. He did notice that Ginny had removed Harry's shirt and that Harry's left arm and the left side of his body was covered in grotesque scars that contained swirls of red, white, and pink tissue.

Ginny whirled around nervously, surprised by the sound of a voice when she had not heard anyone approaching. She knew it wasn't a good idea to lie to Dumbledore, especially when her Occlumency wasn't nearly strong enough to combat his Legilimency. "Professor Dumbledore, I went looking for Harry earlier today but I couldn't find him. I used his map and saw that he was here."

Dumbledore frowned, looking between Ginny, Harry, and Augusta Longbottom. He quickly conjured his Patronus, sending the silvery phoenix with a message to the Order to check on the Longbottom's house. Dumbledore moved closer to Augusta Longbottom, using a gentle amount of Legilimency to view her earlier memories. He grimaced as he saw Lucius Malfoy threatening to put her in the same St. Mungo's ward as her son, but continued watching, keeping an eye out for any messy-haired teenagers. He caught a glimpse of a jet of red light shooting towards Lucius before the memory turned dark due to her loss of consciousness.

"Fawkes, please bring me Poppy immediately. We need Post-Cruciatus Potions." Dumbledore surveyed Harry, deciding that the boy's condition was more important than trying to get information. "Please bring Severus as well."

Ginny figured out what Dumbledore had done to Mrs. Longbottom, so she was standing over her boyfriend like a tiger protecting its cubs.

"Miss Weasley, where has Harry been tonight?" Dumbledore asked softly yet firmly, his ice blue eyes peering over his half-moon spectacles. He used a subtle form of Legilimency that would tell him if Miss Weasley was lying.

"Harry didn't tell us; he only said that he had to fight _his_ war and do what was right instead of what was easy," said Ginny, hoping that would put an end to the questions.

Dumbledore grimaced at the barbed comments. "Very well, our skilled nurse should be here any moment to have a look at him. You should head to your dorm, Miss Weasley."

"I'm not leaving him alone with you and Snape," Ginny snapped. "Err… Professor Snape," she corrected sheepishly.

Dumbledore sighed; Ginny's loyalty to Harry was truly impressive. He only wished that it wasn't fueled from their shared distrust of their headmaster. "Miss Weasley, let us be frank. You can barely look at Harry's wounds without revulsion. Please, allow our wonderful nurse to do her work."

Ginny didn't move.

Pomfrey and Snape entered the Hospital Wing; Pomfrey looking bewildered by the appearance of two patients who were hurt by the Dark Arts and Snape looking exhausted and pale. The Dark Lord wasn't pleased when he realized that a few of his Death Eaters were dead, nearly ten were back in Azkaban, and both of their targets were still alive. Snape knew that the Dark Lord still trusted him, but that didn't stop him for using the Cruciatus Curse generously.

"Poppy, I need you to heal Augusta's physical wounds and administer Post-Cruciatus Potions. Severus, please inspect Mr. Potter's body; I cannot identify the curse that struck his left side," Dumbledore said commandingly.

After nearly two minutes of Snape peering over Harry's sickly scar tissue, Snape turned towards Dumbledore and said, "Potter needs a Blood-Replenishing Potion primarily. I have not seen this spell before, but I assume that the affects of it were to eat away at his flesh. From the hastily-built scar tissue, it would seem Potter used a form of cauterization, but I highly doubt that the boy would know how to use such a method, especially since I believe it is hardly ever used at St. Mungo's. Perhaps if we use Legilimency on the boy we can find out how to treat him."

Ginny looked between Snape and Harry uneasily.

Snape looked at her and said, "Listen Weasley, if we don't find out what hurt Potter he may be like this forever. Or if we apply the wrong treatment…"

Ginny gulped; no she did not like this at all. Suddenly, an idea came in to her brain. "I'll do it. He's been teaching me a little Legilimency. Plus, he may fight back if you try it. If I can't do it, I'll let you."

Before anyone could reply, Ginny looked at Harry and muttered, "_Legilimens_". Harry's mind had nearly no defenses left; it was obvious that he was magically drained. Ginny browsed his memories until she saw him hurt. She gasped in horror as the bright green acid began to dissolve Harry's flesh. She noted that he dowsed his body in water, which seemed to create a very hot steam that came off of his body, burning his skin and forming the layer of tissue over the areas that had the acid on them. She hated to think what would have happened had Harry not doused his body in water.

She pulled out of his memories and turned to Snape and Dumbledore. "He was hit by a spray of green acid. It clung to his skin and… ate through his skin. It began to dissolve his flesh, but he dumped water over the area, which caused hot water vapor to rise off of his body. It removed the acid and burned his bleeding areas, which caused this tissue to form." Ginny had to struggle to recount what had happened to Harry's body, but she made herself get through it.

"Thank you, Weasley, now if you would please allow those with experience to handle the situation…" Severus snapped.

"I believe Ms. Weasley's account will do, Severus. Who was his attacker?" Dumbledore asked, although he was pretty sure of the answer.

"Lucius Malfoy," Ginny spat angrily. "Like father like son."

"Hmm… Severus, have you seen this spell performed before?" Dumbledore asked.

"No, I have never seen it. It must be a Malfoy specialty, most likely passed on from father to son-"

"Severus!" Dumbledore said firmly. "Fawkes tells me his tears cannot heal the wound. He says it is remarkable that Harry survived at all. Poppy, do you have any ideas?"

"Well… I think that if we peel off the outer layer, the boy will bleed horribly, so I would prefer not to do that. If we did that, we would have to rapidly construct a tissue layer that would only be marginally better than the first. I'm guessing that it must pain the boy horribly to even move."

Snape muttered something to himself, waved him wand over Harry, and then said, "What if we peeled off the tissue, petrified Potter so that he cannot lose his blood, and then applied phoenix tears? Underneath his outer layer there are traces of Dark Magic, which I believe phoenix tears can remove, much like basilisk venom."

Dumbledore and Pomfrey thought it over and finally Fawkes trilled softly. The magnificent bird turned its head towards Harry and gave a quick nod. Dumbledore took this as a positive sign and proceeded to ask Snape to prepare several Anesthetic Potions.

"I believe that it is best that we perform this operation now while Mr. Potter is unconscious. Miss Weasley, please return to your dormitory. I assure you that we will take care of Harry and do our best to heal his wounds. You can visit him tomorrow, although I suspect he will still be unconscious," Dumbledore said authoritatively.

Ginny didn't like it, but she knew she didn't have a choice. "Fine," she said glacially. "If I find that you've harmed a single hair on his head…" Ginny exited the room after her threatening statement, taking her cloak and the map with her. She had a lot to think about and mull over.

Fawkes hovered over Harry's petrified body, crying magical tears into his angry flesh. Fawkes was a sharp bird; he had put the signs together. He could see the invisible aura of flames around Harry and the magical power in Harry's blood. Fawkes had heard of the acid that Harry was hit with and he knew that the real reason that Harry survived that battle was because his body had some attributes of a phoenix. Fawkes was reluctant to believe that this young human had mastered the transformation, but all the signs were there. Fawkes meant to watch this one carefully from now on. For now, all he could do was shed tears into the mysterious boy's wounds, watching them heal ever so slowly.

Nearly two hours later, he was finally done cleansing Harry's wounds. He was no longer petrified, but he still lay unconscious due to magical exhaustion.

Dumbledore had left the Hostipal Wing and was now at Headquarters listening to Remus Lupin give an explanation of the events that had passed at the Longbottom's. He was grateful that the Order hadn't lost any members, but he was alarmed at how Voldemort had given them false information and very nearly accomplished his two missions. However, Dumbledore was most alarmed by Mr. Potter's rebelliousness.

"We were about 10 yards away from the door of their house," Lupin recounted gravely. "Ten Death Eaters Apparated in between us and the house. Seven of them began to duel with us while three were trying to break down the door. Things got rough; there were too many of them and they were all firing serious curses. Tonks got hit by a rather nasty curse and I had to grab her and retreat to behind a large tree. I did what I could for Tonks, but I'm no healer. Just as they were about to surround us, Harry came-"

"How? I believe you said that the Death Eaters had warded the house?" Dumbledore asked, hoping he would figure out something about Harry's strange method of travel.

"I don't know, but I would guess that he used his broom. I didn't see him come in because I was patching up Tonks. Anyway, Harry starts yelling out orders and we came out from behind the tree. Harry was unbelievable; he took down four or five of them whereas I only got two. And, come to think about it, I was out of breath and Harry seemed fine, even after suffering through a Cruciatus. After that he told us to go to St. Mungo's, but I tried to stay with him. He basically forced me to leave," Lupin concluded. He meant to have a chat with his mysterious honorary nephew as soon as he could.

"And you left him? Remus, how could you leave the boy alone with Death Eaters? He was obviously lying when he said he was fine. Why didn't you make him come with you?" Molly shouted.

"Tonks needed immediate medical attention. And do you really think that I was in any state to force my will upon Harry? More powerful wizards than I have tried and failed," Lupin said grimly.

Auror Shacklebolt picked up where Lupin left off. "We have surveyed the house and it appears that Lucius Malfoy, two junior Death Eaters, and Peter Pettigrew cornered Augusta in a hall on the third floor. They overpowered her after she killed one and Malfoy began to torture her, which is when it would seem that Potter came in. Potter took them all out; Malfoy lay on the side with a concussion and Pettigrew was unconscious, covered in angry scars. Pettigrew also had traces of the… Cruciatus on him."

There were a few gasps echoing through the room. "Continue, Kingsley, we cannot assume that Harry cast that curse," Dumbledore said comfortingly to the Order, calming them. Dumbledore sighed internally; he knew Harry had indeed used the Cruciatus on Bellatrix Lestrange… it was possible that he had been the one to leave Pettigrew barely alive, covered with bloody scrapes, and unconscious. The Order, however, did not have to know that.

"We found a green, corrosive substance around where we believe Potter was standing. What puzzles me the most is that we can find no trace of Potter leaving the building, Apparating, or taking a Portkey," Kingsley said, looking to Dumbledore for an explanation.

Dumbledore's face grew dark and wrinkled. "We have to find a way of keeping Harry safe in Hogwarts; he almost died tonight, and frankly, I believe it was pure luck that he survived at all. I put up with his summer rebelliousness because I believed that it would be dangerous to his mental health for him to stay alone in Privet Drive. However, now he is spiraling out of control, using dangerous spells, rushing into the war recklessly, and worst of all, risking his life. We cannot allow his rebelliousness to grow."

"You do realize that if Harry had been a 'good' boy, three people, at the very least, would be dead tonight?" Lupin countered solemnly. While he was scared by how close Harry had come to dying, he was angry that Dumbledore was trying to convince the whole Order that Harry was a small child who needed minding. For five years Dumbledore had been calling the shots and look where it had gotten them. Lupin wasn't going to encourage Harry, but he was determined to work with him, not against him.

"That was an error on my part, one which I shall not make again," Dumbledore concluded solemnly.

"May I ask why the Weasleys, Tonks, or I were not informed of the fact that Voldemort would be leading a large scale attack tonight?" Lupin asked angrily. "You thought that by excluding us, you would further exclude Harry? Look where your secrecy and cunning plans have got you! I'm telling you, Albus, you need to work _with_ Harry and build up trust. If he trusted you, then he may listen to you the next time a situation arises. Look, I agree that Harry's safety is of the utmost importance, but there are better methods than confinement."

Dumbledore's eyes had lost their twinkle. "Yes, well, be that as it may, this meeting is dismissed. Kingsley, please stay behind."

After the Order had cleared out, Kingsley asked what Dumbledore wished to talk about.

"Kingsley, I would feel better if you were to stay at Hogwarts for two reasons. The first of which is that you are reported to be one of Voldemort's targets. The second of which is that I want you to follow Harry. You may keep your distance while he is in class, but during his morning exercises and evening exercises, I need you to watch him from under an Invisibility Cloak and figure out what his group of teenagers gets up to. Also, if you believe he is trying to leave the castle, I want you to contact me immediately."

Kingsley digested the assignment slowly. "This seems to be more of Tonk's cup of tea; she's one of our best in the Stealth and Tracking Department, why do you want me to do it?"

"Because I am not quite sure that Tonks will be able to mind Harry without letting Harry see her. You are also an ideal candidate for the job because Voldemort is trying to rid the Ministry of any competent workers. Will you take this assignment?" Dumbledore asked, although his voice made it clear that he was not really 'asking'. "Kingsley, I am not asking you to spy on him. I am asking you to protect him."

"Yeah, I will, but I got a bad feeling about this," Kingsley said grimly.

"When was the last time you had a _good_ feeling about something?"

Two days had passed since Harry's injury and the four Gryffindors and Luna were getting worried. Neville was immensely relieved when he heard that his grandmother would make a full recovery, but Harry was still unconscious. His wounds had healed and Fawkes had taken to spending time near him when his five friends couldn't, so Harry was always guarded. Ginny had been keeping an eye out for a certain blonde haired git on the Marauder's Map, but so far she hadn't seen him, which meant that he either was expelled or he'd been smuggled out. She meant to question Dumbledore as soon as she got a chance to.

Dumbledore wasn't the only one the group meant to question, but they had decided that when Harry woke up they would not question him immediately. Well, the truth was that Ginny had decided that and made Hermione promise not to pester him with questions.

Today was a Saturday and Ginny was curled up in a chair next to his bed writing her Potions essay. Suddenly she heard a very faint groan, which she chalked up to her imagination. It came again a few seconds later.

"G-gin…ny," she heard someone say in a dry, pained voice. She immediately jumped up, dislodging her Potions essay, and stood over Harry. The first thing that she noticed was that she could see two twin orbs of emerald green.

"Harry!" she squealed in delight, ready to smother him in a hug. She stopped when she realized that he might not want a reminder of his injuries. "How are you feeling?" she asked kindly, quickly fetching a glass of water.

"Fine," he muttered softly. As Ginny gently helped him drink the water, he murmured a 'thank you'. Harry saw Ginny's disbelieving expression and added, "Well, it hurts to talk and I feel weak. OWW! And, uh, my arm hurts when I move it, but it's not as bad as it was… how long have I been here?"

"Two and a half days," Ginny responded simply. "They said your arm would stop aching in a few days. Snape came up with a plan to mend it, which seems to be working. I guess I can't hug you until then."

"You can kiss me though… wait, what? _Snape_?" Harry said disbelievingly.

"Uh, yeah, do you remember what you looked like when you came here?" Ginny asked carefully.

Harry groaned, lost in memories of having his flesh eaten away. "Yeah."

"Well, no one knew what to do, but Snape, who has a lot of experience with Dark Arts, said that they needed to petrify you, peel of your, erm, outer layer, put some smelly potion directly on to the exposed wound, and then use phoenix tears to rebuild the skin of that area. They wouldn't let me watch, but it seems to have worked. Fawkes took almost a whole night to fully heal the area," Ginny informed him.

Harry made a mental note to thank Fawkes. That was twice the bird had healed him. "Well, I guess I ought to give Snape a thank-you card…" he muttered. "You smell good, Ginny," he said with a grin on his face.

"And you smell like the Hospital Wing, but I suppose I can kiss you regardless," Ginny replied impishly, moving her lips closer to his face. She slowly connected them with Harry's and kissed them gently. He responded by kissing her back passionately and Ginny couldn't help herself; she deepened the kiss, tasting his mouth with her tongue, basking in the person who she thought she had lost. Suddenly she pulled back, breathing heavily, a tear in her eye.

"What's wrong?" Harry asked gently.

"What's wrong? I'll tell you what's wrong… when you left and didn't come back until nearly midnight, do you have any idea how worried I was? I thought I would never get to hold you again. And then, when you do get back, you go unconscious for two bloody days," she said angrily, jabbing her finger into Harry's chest. Her face then grew sad and tears trickled down her cheeks. "And what's worse is that I know you will go off and do it again sooner or later. I don't know what I would do if I lost you."

"I'm sorry, Ginny, I really am. I wish it could be different; I wish that I could just concentrate on you all day long. But that's not possible and you know why. How about this, I promise not to leave you behind again? I think that by Christmas we will have trained enough for our group to work together," Harry said, his hand gripping hers tightly. "And you won't ever lose me. Ever. You mean the world to me; nothing is more important to me," Harry said affectionately, his thumb rubbing circles on Ginny's palm.

Ginny sighed; a furious debate raging in her mind. _You need to tell him, Ginevra Molly Weasley!_ said one voice. Another voice countered, _Well what if he doesn't fell the same way, then you will have ruined everything! You need to wait until he tells you!_ Ginny looked at him, his words echoing in her mind. _You mean the world to me; nothing is more important to me._ Ginny looked down; she just wouldn't be able to handle it if Harry didn't reciprocate her statement. She thought that Harry may love her, but that wasn't enough. She calmed herself, telling herself that there would always be another time to tell him, perhaps after his feelings became clearer to her. She wanted desperately to tell him how much she felt for him at the top of her voice, but a nagging feeling in her stomach was telling her that what she had right now was not worth risking.

"Ginny? Are you okay?" Harry asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine. You're awake," she said.

"Not for much longer. Sorry, but my eyes are getting droopy."

"Go back to sleep, Harry. I'll stay here with you," she said.

Ginny lay down next to him and snuggled into him, loosing herself in the reassuring warmth of his body. She gently stroked his hair, careful not to put pressure on his left side, and hummed softly and soothingly.

Harry wrapped his good arm around her and pulled her closer, so that her head was resting on his shoulder. His last thought before falling into the comfortable realm of sleep was that her red hair felt like a soft silky blanket and smelt like wildflowers.

Nearly two hours later he was woken up by a familiar voice shouting "Oi!" Harry sat up and rubbed his eyes. "Bugger," he muttered, waking up Ginny.

Ron, Hermione, Neville, and Luna burst into the Hospital Wing, observing Harry and Ginny lying together in the same bed. Ginny turned red and sat up but did not move away from Harry.

"Umm glad to see you're ok, mate, you had us worried. You two, ah, had better split apart now," Ron said uneasily.

Ginny glared at her brother, not believing that he chose this moment to be an overprotective git. She had thought that problem was solved over the summer.

"No, no… it's not that. Mum's coming to visit."

"Bugger," Ginny mumbled, getting up and quickly straightening her hair. Her mum was horribly old fashioned about this type of thing. During their last 'talk' Ginny had barely persuaded her to allow them to kiss, let alone be in the same bed.

"How are you feeling, Harry?" Hermione asked concernedly.

"I've been better, but they say I'll be fine in a few days. The left side of my body hurts when I move it or when something touches it." Harry heard footsteps and quickly added, "Listen, I'll tell you guys about it after-"

"Harry-dear!" beamed Mrs. Weasley, who was followed in by the twins, Mr. Weasley, Lupin, and Tonks. "We're so glad you're better." Luckily for Harry, she didn't give him a bone-crushing "Weasley hug".

Lupin ruffled Harry's hair. "Thank you, Harry, you don't know how grateful we are to have you."

"Yeah, you got us out of a right pickle that day-"

"Tonks!" Mrs. Weasley scolded, looking around at the children as if she didn't want them to here a word of "Order business".

Tonks winked at Harry and continued, "Glad to have you back with us."

After they all chatted a bit about light events, Harry decided that he had a few questions to get out. "So was anyone else hurt? What happened?"

Lupin took the initiative, saying, "What happened was that Dumbledore took twenty-four Order of the Phoenix members-"

Mrs. Weasley sparked up, yelling, "Remus! They are children, they must not be told-"

Harry groaned, muttering an obscenity under his breath that Mrs. Weasley luckily didn't hear. "We can talk about it later, Moony."

"That we will do, Harry," Lupin said firmly. "However, the general gist was that your relatives were killed before Dumbledore arrived at the graveyard. Dumbledore knew then that the graveyard was just a hoax to get the Order out of the way so he could attack the Madam Bones and Mrs. Longbottom. Dumbledore led the Order into Madam Bones's house and saved her, but Voldemort clamped them inside of the property. Dumbledore dismantled his wards, but Voldemort kept putting them up as Dumbledore fought them. While the Order was stuck there, the Death Eaters led an attack on the Longbottom House, which you saw, and various other attacks on Muggles. I'm telling you this because I no longer believe that following Dumbledore will win the war."

Mrs. Weasley looked shocked, but then Harry had an idea. "What about Malfoy? I haven't seen him on the map."

"You mean Draco Malfoy? What about him?" Mrs. Weasley said, confusedly.

Harry guessed that Dumbledore hadn't told them, but it still shocked him nonetheless. Her daughter had been assaulted and he didn't see fit to inform her mother? Harry wasn't feeling very charitable to the headmaster and he figured that setting Mrs. Weasley on him would be a fair punishment. "Well, you see, Mrs. Weasley, Ginny was assaulted by Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle about two weeks ago and he tried to… make an advance." Harry ignored the gasps all around the room and he plowed on, "I got to Malfoy before he could go through with it and erm, well, I stopped him. When we told Dumbledore about this, do you know what he did?"

Harry shot Ginny a look, asking her to play along and let her mother squeeze her extremely tightly. "He refused to expel Malfoy and he very nearly punished me for saving Ginny. I got angry and let it slip that he was a Death-Eater-in-training and the other professors tried to make him see reason, but instead he swore them to secrecy and he swept the whole thing under the rug."

"He WHAT?" shouted Mr. Weasley, who Harry noticed was rather scary when he was mad. "Are you serious, Harry? Is all of this true? I believe you, it's just that if you are correct, I am one step away from leaving the Order of the Phoenix."

"He's telling the truth, Dad," Ginny said simply.

"Ginny, you mean he really tried to…"

Ginny nodded solemnly.

"And he has just disappeared from Hogwarts?" Lupin asked concernedly.

"Yeah, he isn't on _the map_," Harry said. "We need to ask Dumbledore about it as soon as he comes. Something isn't right."

Fred looked at his mother and mumbled, "Oh, some of us will do more than _asking_…"

George looked at his father and mumbled, "More like pound him until he answers…"

"Boys!" Mr. Weasley said sternly. "Well, Harry, I offer you my thanks for assisting my daughter. She couldn't possibly do any better."

"Thanks, Mr. Weasley. There is no better than your daughter."

Mr. Weasley glared at the twins, silencing their retching noises. "We should probably give you and your friends some time alone. Plus I believe we all have a lot to think about."

Mrs. Weasley kissed Harry on the cheek and left. The twins hung back. "When you see Malfoy, shove one of these down his throat, okay? We won't let the fact that we no longer go to Hogwarts stop us from doing our brotherly duty," they said with evil grins across their faces. "Seriously, Harry… give that git two extra thrashings from each of us."

Harry nodded to them and congratulated them on their acceptance into the Order. After they left, Lupin told him and his friends the full story of what had gone on during the Order meeting.

"Thanks Moony, it really means a lot to me that you're not siding with Dumbledore on this," Harry said in response to hearing about Lupin arguing with Dumbledore.

"Harry, when you told me about your plans for the summer, you gave me a tough decision. I decided to trust you and I have not once regretted my decision. My only advice to you is to keep your friends close, they bring out the best in you and you bring out the best in them. Last year, after the fiasco in the Department of Mysteries, I knew then that the Order of the Phoenix and Dumbledore did not have the ability to win the war. I believe that you, Harry, and your friends, with the assistance of the Order, will win the war. This is where Dumbledore and I disagree and will continue to disagree until he decides to see reason," Lupin said loyally and strongly.

Harry gave Lupin a hug, truly touched by the man's words. "Thanks Moony. Can I call you Uncle Moony?" Harry asked with a light smile.

"Of course, Harry," he beamed, ruffling Harry's messy hair. "Just make sure to get to work on you Animagus training, so that we can have a nickname for you."

"I'll make sure to do that," Harry lied, feeling a little bit guilty about his white lie, but he didn't want to tell his friends about that yet.

Tonks gave him a hug, thanking him for saving their arses, and was about to leave. However, Harry had something he had been meaning to ask.

"Hey, Tonks, you know how you taught me Martial Arts over the summer?" Harry asked.

"Yeah?"

"Well, we were wondering if you could, uh, teach us here at Hogwarts once in a while. I've been teaching them, but it's hard to teach and I've only had a summer of it. We've gotten some of the basic moves and sparring techniques down, but I don't know how to progress from there."

Tonks thought it over for about a minute and then replied, "Yeah, I can do that. How about on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays?"

"Perfect," Harry said happily. "Uh… I was thinking we could do it in the Room of Requirement and you could take a Portkey there. That way Dumbledore shouldn't find out. I'll make a Portkey and leave it in You-Know-Where, okay?"

"Yeah, sure thing," Tonks replied before she left. "Well, I'm off to go see Remus."

Harry sighed and lay back in bed. So far he had ticked off the Weasleys towards Dumbledore, told Ginny he loved her, grown closer to one of his parent's best friends, and was now arranging to train right under Dumbledore's nose. Not to mention he still had to tell his friends about what happened. On the other hand, his arm was throbbing painfully and he knew that as soon as his friends left him alone, nothing would be there to distract him from dealing with his thoughts about the attack.

"Harry, I wanted to thank you for saving Gran," Neville said kindly. "If you hadn't been there… Merlin, I owe you so much…"

"No problem, Neville. Listen, you don't owe me anything; you would have done the same for me if you could," Harry said sincerely. Neville looked very unconvinced, so Harry continued, "Believe me, Neville, you've already done a lot for me, since last year. You don't give yourself enough credit."

"Th-Thanks," he stammered.

"So… I guess I'll explain what happened then, like I promised…"

Harry explained about how he thought the Order would be attacked at the graveyard and how Snape had been given the wrong information. Leaving his flame travel, he launched into a brief description of the fight, mainly to show them how dangerous fighting can be and why they needed to train hard. "…and I think that by Christmas you lot will be trained enough to come with me if you want. I'm sorry for shutting you guys out, but I believe it was the right thing to do and not to let you guys come."

Hermione spoke up first. "Thanks for explaining, Harry, I know that was hard to do. I know I have been kind of, well, nosy about what you were up to over the summer-"

"Thanks, Hermione. I'm not going to lie and say I wasn't annoyed you did things like try to persuade Ginny to force me to talk about Sirius, but looking back on it, you did it for the right reasons. There's nothing to forgive. However, you have probably guessed that I'm still holdings things back…"

"It's okay… really it is. Over the summer, we just didn't… well, we didn't trust that you were thinking straight. Now we know how serious the situation is and we understand that you have to do some things in secret. How about you just tell us as much as you can and we'll take it from there?" She was still curious about Harry, but she felt bad for concocting various schemes to try to get information from him.

Harry looked around the room, employing just a smidgeon of Legilimency to gauge everyone's moods. He was astounded by the feelings of loyalty, friendship, and understanding that flooded his mind. Harry couldn't help but break out in a smile. He had missed his friends over the summer and he had expected their relationships to be rocky and awkward once school started. What he hadn't expected was for his friends to grow up just like he had and accept the 'new Harry'. "You know, you guys are the best friends a bloke could ask for," he mumbled emotionally.

"What can I say… I guess we just got tired of being prats?" Ron said jokingly.

"No you're still a prat," Harry mumbled. "That won't ever change."

&Q&$Q(#&&$(&Q#&$(Q&#Q&#$&Q#

**A/N: So… sorry about the long update time, but I had some issues at work, blah blah blah. Anyway, tell me what you think, did you like the action? How about do you think Snape should be trusted? Someone told me not to respond to reviews in my chapter, can anyone confirm if that gets your chapter deleted, or is simply frowned upon? Anyway, I'll just try to respond to you in a PM if you ask a question or leave a comment. To all those who reviewed so far, a huge thank you. I'll try and get another chapter to you soon, hopefully before New Years. Have a great holiday break, blah blah blah.**


	9. Chapter 9: Trying Not To Look Back

9. Trying Not to Look Back

Describing the events to his friends had made Harry a bit uneasy. The uneasy feeling wasn't due to his friends; it was due to the memories of what had happened. He hadn't thought about the fight yet having been caught up in the wonder that was Ginny. Now, sitting alone in his dull, plain bed, the memories of the fight came back to him in a jumbled, angry mess. One second he was ordering Lupin to assist him from the other side of the tree and then adrenaline was roaring in his veins, his furious eyes scanning the black robes figures. His mind had slipped into an almost primitive state where all that existed was victory or death. His instincts took over, screaming at him to dodge or attack whenever the opportunity presented itself. He had cast spells in a fluid sequence, his magic burning excitedly through his hands and wand as he cast spell after spell. While he was in this state of battle, he wasn't thinking about how close he had come to being hit by a jet of green light. Neither was he thinking about the possibility of his spells killing the Death Eaters. He had cast many Cutting Curses, Slicing Curses, Bone-Breaking Curses, and one Rupturing Curse; all of which were likely to kill the receiver if they were hit in certain locations. He didn't think twice about using these spells during battle, but what if he had killed someone? It was likely that he had killed Dolohov…

_Even if you did get him, so what? He's a Voldemort-foot-kisser who has injured your friends before. Get a hold of yourself, Potter, you NEED to do what's necessary to protect your friends, and if you have to kill every black-robed, dark wizard in Europe, then so be it!_ Harry shook his head sadly. He couldn't think like that; that was how Voldemort thought… do anything to achieve your goals. _Oh yeah? Well what about Wormtail… I stopped Sirius and Remus from killing him and then he goes and brings Voldemort back, nearly killing me in the process. This year he's gotten me twice from behind, almost killing me again!_

The mental war in Harry's mind raged on with, _Well Wormtail is different. He may deserve to die, but that doesn't mean you should go around Avada Kedravra-ing every Death Eater you see… that's wrong and just plain sick!_ But if I had killed Lucius Malfoy in Diagon Alley then Lucius wouldn't have almost killed him. Azkaban was too good for Death Eaters, especially since it was such a joke these days.

_Okay, okay… Next time I'm in a fight with Death Eaters, I will use fatal spells if necessary. They are going to be throwing them at me like crazy, and I'll never win if I use weak spells. Lupin understands this; the man hates killing, but he tore up the guy who was trying to get me. If I go too soft on them I will be risking the lives of my friends because of my queasiness. I just have to pull it together and do what's necessary. I have to kill Voldemort one day and if I can't thin his Death Eater ranks, then how will I stand a chance against him?_ Harry felt he had reached some conclusion, although he still wasn't too happy with the situation. He had almost died many times, almost killed many times, and he was likely to be in that scenario again. He accepted that fact stoically, telling himself that one day it would be all over and he would never have to think about the morality of killing someone. A fierce determination raged through Harry and he decided then and there that he would fight as hard as he could to get that future. If he had to be a killer, then so be it. Since when had his life been easy? Some power above had put him here; had put him in this position, where his best chance of survival was to be a cold-blooded killer. Unlike others, he was given a life where instead of living, he survived. How could it be any different for a teenager who was up again an army of evil? What room was there for remorse or hesitation? If he yearned to survive, what room was there for softness or morality?

Harry sighed. It was easy to make plans for himself now. It wasn't hard to convince himself that he wouldn't hold back next time when he was in a soft bed. He could only hope that the next time the decision was forced in front of him, when he could feel the proximity to death, he would somehow make a decision that would help him live, and that he could hopefully live with.

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Dumbledore was sitting in his office, popping a lemon drop into his mouth and massaging his temples. He had been heading to the Hospital Wing to check on Harry and he had bumped into none other than Arthur and Molly Weasley. To say that they were furious would be an understatement. He had assured them that Malfoy had been taken care of and would no longer come into contact with Harry or Ginny, but he had refused to give any details. Dumbledore sighed; everyone was becoming irrational and rebellious, as if Harry was turning them against him. Worst of all was that he couldn't think of a solution to the problem. Either he could force Harry to conform to his standards or he could allow the boy to have his way. Trying to force Harry to act like a schoolboy would do the exact opposite of what Dumbledore wanted, but on the other hand, he couldn't just let Harry continue like this anymore. They had to come to a compromise; Dumbledore had to put an end to his rebelliousness. Dumbledore shuddered as he thought of another rebellious, charming, and powerful sixteen year old that had gone to Hogwarts nearly fifty years ago.

Fawkes picked up on Dumbledore's thoughts and trilled sadly, shaking its head slowly as if to say that Harry was not like Tom Riddle. But if that was so then why did the evidence show that he had learned Dark Magic? Why was the teenager so obsessed with becoming more powerful? He thought back to the day when he had questioned Harry about Draco Malfoy's injuries. Harry was secretive and deceptive, maneuvering the discussion in such a way that the professors, especially Minerva, would side with him. He had even managed to get Severus to side with him. The boy had shown emotion at all of the 'right' times and seemed calm and collected at other times. Dumbledore wrinkled his brow, lost in the memory of Tom Riddle doing the exact same thing.

But if Harry truly was like Tom Riddle, he would not have cared enough to risk his life to rescue Remus or Tonks. He would not genuinely be so close to the youngest Weasley. Dumbledore had to believe that Harry wasn't venturing down Riddle's road; he didn't know what he would do if Harry became the very thing that he had sworn to fight.

Dumbledore closed his eyes and massaged his temples. He had to take it one step at a time and the first step would be making some sort of compromise with Harry.

Harry lay in his dull, white bed, trying to catch up on homework. He sighed in frustration, tossing his Potions essay to the ground and cursing the Law of Conservation of Ingredients. Harry was decent at making the potions in his cauldron, but the theory always flew over his head.

He decided to finish it later and moved to stretch his muscles. His legs were feeling fine and he could stand, but moving his upper body involved moving his left arm and torso, which still sent pangs of pain echoing through his body. He was feeling a lot better, but according to Madam Pomfrey, it would be nearly a week before he could even think about playing Quidditch. Harry had asked Ron to schedule practices and appointed Ginny as Seeker incase he wasn't there. According to Ron, practices were going decently, but according to the rest of the team, Ron was working them harder than Wood ever had. Ron kept telling the team they needed to make Harry proud.

Ginny told Harry that she had done her first Wronski Feint and she hadn't even screamed. Harry wished he could have been there; he loved to see her flying. He got lost in the memories, remembering when they first kissed on his broom under the moonlight. That moment had a certain type of magic to it, one that kissing Cho never had. He didn't think he was in love at that point, but he knew that it was a very powerful spark. He had been attracted to her ever since they started corresponding secretly and when he asked her to fly with him, it had ignited his feelings, causing such a desire for her that even his nervous manner and insecurities couldn't stop him from pulling her closer and kissing her.

Harry chuckled; if someone had come to him during his fifth year and told him that in a year he would have a girlfriend, he probably would have been more than a little skeptical. But if someone had told him that in a year he would be in a relationship with Ginny Weasley and be ecstatic about it, he would have suggested they check in St. Mungo's and find a skilled Mind Healer.

Harry was so lost in his thoughts that he didn't hear the footsteps growing closer to his room.

"Hello, Harry. I'm glad to see that you are feeling better," Dumbledore said cheerfully, his eyes sparkling with their customary twinkle.

Harry snapped out of his reverie, pouring an imaginary bucket of cold water over his head. He had been expecting Dumbledore to have a serious talk with him at some point and he knew that when that moment came he would have to be very alert. "Yes, I am feeling much better. Hopefully I will be able to play in the Quidditch match against Ravenclaw this weekend." Harry figured that Dumbledore was going to use his strategy of discussing light matters and then slowly burrow into the deeper, more serious matters.

"Yes, Pomfrey is quite the healer. Yesterday while you were asleep I popped in for some headache medicine. A howler-in-person from Molly Weasley will do that. You wouldn't have anything to do with that would you?" Dumbledore asked piercingly.

Harry felt a surge of anger and spoke out with venomous sarcasm. "Yes, I owe you an apology for telling Ginny's mother the truth about the violent, hateful assault on her daughter. I suppose I should have instead assisted you in sweeping the matter under the rug, as Muggles say."

"Please Harry, try to look at the bigger picture instead of basking in your vindictive desires. If I made a big show of expelling Mr. Malfoy, what do you think would have happened to him? His master would have killed him for his failure."

Harry made to interrupt and blurt out something like 'no more than he deserves', but Dumbledore plowed on. "However, I have put Draco Malfoy in a place where he can neither hurt us nor be hurt. Please, let us move on, there are other important things to be discussed."

_Here it comes…_ Harry thought. His first move was to gaze at his fingers and let the headmaster speak, but he decided that doing that would make him look like a child being berated by an adult. Instead, he looked the old man in the eye, unwilling to be seen as anything less than an equal. "Yes, I believe I owe you and Fawkes my heartfelt thanks for helping to patch me up."

Fawkes crooned gratefully and Dumbledore nodded slightly. "Yes, although I would prefer it if we could take steps to ensure you are not put in situations where you can be injured again."

Harry clamped down on his raging temper and spoke with a forced, calm voice. "As long as being put in dangerous situations is doing what is 'right', I'm afraid there is no other option. I will not have my friends die because of the manipulative nature of the Order."

Dumbledore rubbed his forehead, looking old and worn. "Harry, you almost died. Next time… there must not be a next time. You know what will happen if you are killed in the war. This is the Order's fight, Harry, not yours. I know you want to participate as much as you can, but the fact of the matter is that you are not of age and thus cannot join the Order."

"You think I want to join the Order? You think I want to have to take orders from someone who never listens to anyone else and does everything for secret reasons? You need to stop assuming that just because you're on a chocolate frog you are by default the one who is correct. You don't even consider the suggestions of other members because you think that since you are Albus-Brian-whatsitsface-Dumbledore, no one besides you could contribute to a decision," Harry said angrily. He didn't mean to speak this rudely, but months of anger had built up inside of him. "So, the point is, I will fight my war, the Order can fight its own war. IF the two parties could work together, as equals, I reckon we would have a better chance, but that if that can't happen, then I'll continue to do my duty without the Order."

Dumbledore sighed. He was at a crossroads now and he had to make a choice and stick with it. He could either try to compromise with the boy or use his considerable power to keep him from fighting in the war. In time, Dumbledore believed that Harry would understand that what he was doing to Harry was for his own good, but right now Harry was in an explosive mood. If Dumbledore tried to impose his will on Harry, there was no telling how the boy would react. Dumbledore had a set of things he wished for Harry to do and he needed to present them in a way that Harry would agree to them. "Harry, I think we both understand the need for us to come to a compromise. Here is what I propose; you will be allowed to stay in your new residence, I will allow you to continue your training, and I will keep you informed about the war. In return, I ask that you allow me to access your house by Floo. I shall make the promise not to disturb you unless it is absolutely necessary. Also, I ask that you allow me to quietly observe some of your training sessions. And thirdly, you will not leave Hogwarts during the school year without my approval. Does that sound acceptable?"

Harry pondered the proposal. While Dumbledore was speaking, the terms seemed reasonable, but after Harry re-examined them in his mind, he decided that there were many flaws. "That's not acceptable and you know why. First of all, I don't need your permission to stay where I want. I assure you it is adequately protected from Voldemort. Your second… offering, to allow me to continue my training, would be nice, but I'm afraid that the cost is too high. I do not trust you enough to have you supervising me. And the only way your third term would be acceptable is if you changed it to an Unbreakable Vow to tell be all pertinent information on the topics of Voldemort, Death Eaters, Hogwarts, the War, and… me. I will not cooperate with you until you step down from your high pedestal. I also require that you allow me to leave Hogwarts if I believe it is necessary. I will listen to what you have to say, but the ultimate decision is in my hands."

"So you would like things to continue the way they currently are?" Dumbledore mused disappointedly.

"Yeah, that's better than your skewed idea of a compromise," Harry said rebelliously. "You're asking a lot from me, but you aren't giving anything. Look, I've developed a very different idea about how to go about this war than you have. Perhaps if you can give me a clear, honest opinion of why your hidden plans will guarantee my survival, then I will be more inclined to step back in line."

"Very well, Harry. I will allow you to conduct yourself the way you feel would be best, as long as you allow me to take measures to guarantee your safety," Dumbledore said sadly. "Here is what we can do. I will ignore the issue of your living arrangements and I will allow you to train as you please. I will not make an Unbreakable Vow, due to the consequences of accidentally breaking the vow. There are some things I cannot tell you, simply because I have made oaths to other people, not to tell a soul. The Unbreakable Vow would override this oath and I would die." Dumbledore paused for effect and then continued, "I will promise to answer your questions as truthfully as I can. Finally, if you feel the need to leave the castle, you will ask me before leaving. I will hear you out and not make the decision lightly. However, if I strongly insist on you staying safe, you must listen."

Harry sighed; he didn't really care about the living arrangements and training sessions, but he was determined to get his way on the last issue. However, he could tell from Dumbledore's expression that the old man was not going to back down either. The only option was to agree and then break the agreement if necessary. If an incident similar to the dual attack happened again, Harry would react the same way, regardless of what they agreed upon. Also, he could compare what Dumbledore told him with what Lupin told him or Harry what heard himself to judge how truthful his headmaster was being.

"Fine- that seems reasonable. You won't interfere in my living arrangements and training and I'll cower here at Hoggy Warty Hogwarts if you answer my questions truthfully," Harry said emotionlessly. He didn't want Dumbledore to think he was agreeing too quickly, but he did want to end the conversation as soon as he could. There was something about talking with Dumbledore that was rather tiring on the mind.

"All right, Harry. I will not require an Unbreakable Vow, due to the problems I stated earlier, but I would very much appreciate our compromise not being broken," Dumbledore said piercingly, his ice blue eyes boring holes into Harry's brain.

Harry felt the slight touch of Legilimency, which he identified as the type that could tell you if someone was lying or not. Harry knew that if he removed the subtle intrusion, Dumbledore would believe he did so because he had something to hide, so he simply said, "Okay, professor," knowing that he was simply stating that he understood the headmaster's concerns.

Dumbledore nodded at him and said, "Then I shall leave you now so that you can make a recovery by this weekend. I'm sure your teammates would appreciate your presence at their first game. Not to mention this approaching dueling tournament in two weeks… I daresay I am rather looking forward to seeing you in action."

"Uhh, yes Sir, I'm looking forward to it as well. If you see Professor Snape, could you tell him I said thank you?"

"It would be best for you to tell him Harry; it is never too late to mend bridges…" Dumbledore said wisely, his eyes regaining their witty twinkle as he walked out of the room.

"Indeed." Harry nodded.

Harry reviewed the somewhat heated conversation in his mind while gently exercising his sore arm. The only thing that had changed was that Dumbledore would now tell him the things that he told the Order. Harry did promise to stay in Hogwarts if Dumbledore required him to, but that was a promise Harry knew he would break if any of his friends were in danger.

Harry had expected Dumbledore to be less lenient and scold Harry for his reckless behavior. While he had done that to an extent, Harry half expected the headmaster to try to break into his mind or use some complicated type of magic to ensure that he couldn't leave Hogwarts. A part of Harry thought that maybe Dumbledore was indeed trying to mend bridges, but Harry decided that he wouldn't trust the headmaster any further until he earned it. Just like Harry knew he would break his promise if he thought it was for the best, it was likely that Dumbledore would do the same. Harry vowed to keep a sharp eye on his headmaster. He noticed that once again, Dumbledore didn't reveal anything about how he thought Harry could defeat Voldemort. Harry had a clear idea of how to win the war, but his mind wasn't so closed that he wouldn't hear Dumbledore out if the old man could just be truthful. It was clear to Harry that he would have to risk his life, but by Merlin, if he had to die, he would do so on his feet, as strong as he could be. If he went into the arena, he would do so because he chose to, not because Dumbledore pushed him in that direction.

There was also another matter that had rooted in Harry's mind. Severus Snape had, at the very least, contributed his best efforts to the task of healing Harry Potter. Perhaps his plan had even saved Harry's arm. Snape, not Dumbledore or Lupin, had informed his about Voldemort's plans. While his information had been wrong, he had risked Voldemort finding out where his loyalties lay by informing Harry. That information had also inadvertently saved Lupin, Tonks, and Neville's Gran. Harry truly didn't know what to say to Snape; afterall they hated each other…

Was it possible that Snape was trying to bury old hatreds and move on? Was it possible that they didn't really hate each other? Harry didn't know what to believe. For five years, Snape had done everything in his power to make Harry as miserable as possible. Now, Snape was actually giving Harry signs that he… respected him? Harry decided he would give the Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor a chance. If his father's nemesis wanted to mend bridges, Harry would cooperate.

But then, what if Snape had given Harry the wrong information? What if Snape was lying when he said that 'The Dark Lord is testing my loyalty' and claimed that he was only passing what he believed to be true?

Harry pushed the topic from his mind, realizing that there was nothing he could do until he got a chance to talk to Snape again.

Nearly four days had passed and Harry was growing extremely sick of the Hospital Wing. The only thing that had kept him sane was visits from his friends and the thought of the upcoming Quidditch match. His arm was much better; he only felt a dull ache whenever he moved it. Ginny was a pretty sharp Seeker herself, but the Gryffindor Chasers, Ginny, Katie, and Demelza had practiced many plays together, so if a reserve Chaser was to take Ginny's place, their synergy would be lost.

Harry had nothing better to do, so he finished his make-up work. He couldn't practice any spells because his magical core was still regenerating, but he got the grueling essays out of the way. He knew he could perform all of the spells his professors had assigned. The reason he was being so careful about his recovery was because he had no wish to miss the Halloween Dueling Tournament. He knew he would have to be careful about what spells he used since Dumbledore would be watching, so he made a list of all the non-dark spells he knew and planned different ways to use them. He didn't care about the recognition, he just wanted to gauge how useful his training was. He also knew that Snape had a quick wand arm and knew a variety of unusual curses. Harry planned to test just how knowledgeable the professor was.

Finally a reluctant Pomfrey, who insisted that he continue to take a complicated series of potions and under no circumstances, play Quidditch, let Harry out of the Hospital Wing. Harry was disappointed by this verdict, but it wouldn't stop his plans; what the healer didn't know couldn't hurt her…

He wrapped himself in his invisibility cloak, planning to surprise his friends with the good news. It was lunchtime and they were now eating in the Great Hall. Harry smirked; Hermione and Ron were arguing about the fact that Hermione attended the Slug Club. Ginny was rolling her eyes at her brother's lack of tact and Neville was making eyes with a particular blonde seated at the Ravenclaw table. Harry snuck up on Ginny slowly, taking his hands out of his cloak and placing them over her eyes.

"Guess who!" he said mysteriously, disguising his voice the best he could.

Ginny yelped in surprise, drawing her wand and wheeling around. Harry guessed that he had done a pretty good job of disguising his voice. Harry backed away, fully under the cloak and slowly moved closer to the baffled redhead. He nimbly sat down where she had been sitting.

Ginny figured out what was happening and said, "_Accio Invisibility Cloak_"

The cloak flew off of him and enveloped Ginny, causing Harry to miss her grin. A few seconds later, he groaned as he felt a petite redhead jump into his lap. Harry grabbed at the silky fabric of the cloak, revealing Ginny's face and glorious ocean of red hair.

"Got you, Potter," she said triumphantly, holding up his cloak to show her victory.

"Yes, you sure got me, Weasley," he said, matching Ginny's grin. He circled his arms around her, pulling her closer. He was about to capture her lips, but unfortunately Hermione and Ron noticed him and buried their argument.

"Harry!" Hermione said happily. "I thought you told us you couldn't come out of the Hospital Wing until Saturday… you're not sneaking out, are you?"

"Calm down, Hermione… Pomfrey let me out early," Harry said.

Ron predictably asked if this meant he could play Quidditch on Saturday, to which Harry replied affirmative.

"Brilliant, we're going to trounce the birds!" he said excitedly.

Hermione began to question Harry about whether or not he had gotten his homework done, preventing Harry from pleasing the redhead on his lap. Harry looked over at Neville, who was smirking at the pair of them. Harry grinned at the quiet, yet observant boy, winking towards Luna and causing Neville to turn red.

After lunch, the sixth years headed to Care of Magical Creatures with Hagrid, who supposedly had a special surprise that Harry would like. Harry groaned, realizing he was probably likely to be put back in the Hospital Wing by Hagrid's new beast.

"Gather 'round, gather 'round," the voice of the nine foot tall half-giant boomed. "'Arry, yer all right then? Glad ter see ya, I knew ye'd be wantin ter come for _this_ lesson."

"Nice to see you too, Hagrid," Harry said, forcing enthusiasm into his voice.

Hagrid disappeared for a moment into the forest and returned with a creature that Harry recognized. A large, male hippogriff with a proud, large, eagle-shaped head elegantly followed Hagrid. It had a golden beak and large orange eyes, which fit well with its reddish-brown feathers. Its wings were massive, larger than he remembered Buckbeak's wings being. Harry guessed that it had a twenty-four foot wingspan. Its powerful wings were followed by the elegant, muscular rear of a stallion. It stood menacingly in the center of the semicircle of students, causing most of them to back away.

"This, as I'm sure many of y'all know, is a Hippogriff. Its name is Thunderwing an' when ye see it flyin' you'll know why. Now, who can tell me…"

After Harry and Hermione had earned Gryffindor nearly fifty points by answering his questions about Hippogriffs, Hagrid asked if anyone wanted to pet Thunderwing. Everyone stepped back rapidly, making comments about how this Hippogriff looked a lot fiercer than Buckbeak. Harry looked at the proud beast, trying to make a decision. Thunderwing seemed to realize Harry was one of the only ones who hadn't backed away and the two of them locked eyes.

This was apparently enough for Hagrid to happily yell, "Well done, Harry. Ye've got the eye contact. Now slowly approach, you know the deal… although I reckon ye'll want to be extra careful."

Harry walked forward slowly, not blinking. His eyes conveyed the respect he felt for the large animal. When he got close enough, he bowed slowly. Thunderwing looked at him for a long time, his intelligent orange eyes boring right through Harry. Right when Harry was about to back away, Thunderwing gave a slight nod.

_My, my you are a curious one. I can sense the aura of flames around you and I can communicate with you, yet you are no winged creature…_

Harry jumped at the voice in his head. He gathered his wits and looked at Thunderwing, trying to communicate back. _How can I hear you, Thunderwing?_ he thought, willing the thoughts to enter the hippogriff's mind.

_Climb on my back and let us speak further_ Thunderwing 'said', bowing so that Harry could climb on.

Harry then discovered how Thunderwing had gotten his name. The reddish-brown wings beat powerfully, rapidly lifting Harry towards the sky.

_Magical creatures such as griffins, hippogriffs, phoenixes, and owls can communicate this way. I have never been able to speak to a human before._

_Hmm, I suppose it does make sense that you can communicate like this. I wasn't able to speak to Buckbeak, a female hippogryph, this way_ thought Harry, sending a picture of Buckbeak to Thunderwing.

_You have the aura of a phoenix, although I cannot understand how. It is why you can speak to the creatures of air._ Thunderwing said as they flew over Hogwarts's beautiful Scottish landscape.

_Oh, I am a phoenix Animagus_ Harry said, sending a picture of his phoenix form to Thunderwing.

_I am impressed; that is quite an accomplishment, Harry. Now, tell me more of this Buckbeak_

Harry related Buckbeak's story to Thunderwing, telling him that Buckbeak couldn't come out of hiding in Grimmauld Place because Malfoy would undoubtedly try to get her executed again.

_But this Malfoy, you say he is a Death Eater, surely he no longer has the authority to condemn Buckbeak,_ Thunderwing said angrily, his eyes narrowing and his wings beating harder.

Harry knew that Thunderwing wasn't mad at him, but he still spoke carefully. _You're right, we could probably take Buckbeak back to the forest…_

Thunderwing asked him to give him the address of Grimmauld Place and began to fly rapidly towards London, ignoring Harry's protests that Hagrid would be worried about them. The hippogriff responded that it would not allow one of its kind to be cooped up any longer.

Realizing that he had no choice in the matter, Harry allowed himself to enjoy the ride. The flying of a hippogriff was nearly as exhilarating as flying on a broomstick once one got used to the rhythm of the beating wings.

Nearly half an hour later, they had arrived at Grimmauld Place. Harry used his Black Family key to travel to the room where Buckbeak was kept. He didn't see any large animals there, so he began to search the other rooms of the house. Finally, he decided that he would check the roof and then give up and call Thunderwing.

On the roof of Grimmauld Place, Harry scanned for Buckbeak. He saw the mass of white feathers with a bluish tinge sitting elegantly near the side of the building. Harry shouted out to Buckbeak in his mind, gaining her attention, and then slowly walked towards her.

Buckbeak stared at him confusedly and then spread its wings and leapt forward, bridging the distance between her and Harry.

_Buckbeak, I'm really sorry about forgetting about you and not taking you back to Hogwarts… Hagrid has another hippogriff there named Thunderwing, I think you would like to meet him,_ said Harry as he bowed.

_How can you speak to my kind?_ Buckbeak said, her eyes looking at Harry curiously.

_I can turn into a phoenix. Listen, we've got to get back to Hogwarts, Thunderwing is waiting outside. I'll explain everything on our way back. Hagrid will be thrilled to see you too._

Buckbeak bowed and Harry climbed on top. _The large man was always kind; I shall be happy to meet him as well._

Thunderwing approached the two of them and they headed back to Hogwarts. Harry noticed that the two hippogriffs were communicating with each other, saying Merlin-knows-what. They were obviously engrossed in their conversation because neither had spoken to Harry, except to thank him for taking them to Grimmauld Place. Harry sighed, imagining how happy Hagrid would be if he had some baby hippogriffs to take care of.

As they approached Hogwarts, Harry saw the gob smacked expression on Hagrid's face. As he flew closer, he realized that most of the other students were equally dumbfounded.

"Beaky?" Hagrid said as Harry dismounted. When Buckbeak nodded, Hagrid shouted out in jubilation and nuzzled his favorite pet.

"Where were you?" Ron asked confusedly. "You've been gone for an hour… we were about to go to Dumbledore."

Harry frowned sheepishly. "Err… I thought it would be the right thing to do, you know?"

Hermione was not impressed with Harry's answer. "You thought it would be a good idea to go missing for one hour? To disappear from Hogwarts!"

Harry didn't want to reveal his ability to talk to magical flying animals, so he muttered that he hadn't realized he'd been gone so long and then shot them a look – hoping they'd drop the subject until they could discuss it later.

"Harry! You saved Buckbeak…" said Hagrid, thumping the startled boy on the back.

"Yeah, I'm sorry for not telling you earlier, but now that Malfoy isn't here and his father is a known Death Eater, we don't have to worry about that stupid trial."

Hagrid gave out a happy sob and said, "Always like your dear mum, helpin' out every 'un else…"

"Thanks, Hagrid. Uhh… can you forget to mention that I flew off of Hogwarts grounds?"

"'Course 'Arry. Wouldn't want people to say that Thunder took you off of school grounds or summat. Oh well, y'all run along now, class is almos' over."

Harry nodded appreciatively and his friends walked with him back inside. Harry gave them a brief and not completely truthful description of what had happened, saying that he had just remembered that Buckbeak was wasting away in Grimmauld Place and that he would feel terrible if Buckbeak was starving or something.

He knew that his friends weren't completely buying it, but they had accepted it and they weren't pressing him for more information. Harry was rather surprised by their acceptance; he had been expecting them to grill him like they had over the summer. They really had become a lot more loyal and accepting since then…

Harry and his friends made their way to McGonagall's classroom; Hermione giving a quick lecture about the various topics they had covered. Once they were seated, McGonagall collected their homework and launched into an explanation of making objects change their state of matter.

"You will wave your wand slightly to the left of the glass of water while saying _Vicissitudo_ and then sharply dip your wand towards the water and say, _gelo_. This will cause the water to freeze quickly. Now who can tell me why this is a better solution than to simply cast a Freezing Charm?" McGonagall asked.

Harry had an idea of what the answer was, but he decided to let Hermione answer so as not to draw attention to his Transfiguration skill. When Hermione didn't raise her hand, McGonagall looked towards Harry expectantly and Harry didn't want to let her down. "Well, I'm not sure, but casting a Freezing Charm on a glass of water shoots a cone of cooling energy towards the water. This is inefficient because it takes more magical energy than to transfigure the water, in addition to taking more time to freeze the water."

"That is correct, Mr. Potter, fifteen points to Gryffindor. Does anyone know what _Vicissitudo_ does that changes the object so quickly if performed correctly?"

Harry didn't know the answer to that question, but Hermione apparently did from the way her hand rocketed into the air.

"It causes the molecules of the substance to move either slow down or speed up. Muggles have a whole branch of study based upon those the building blocks of…" Hermione trailed off, realizing everyone in the class was looking at her funnily.

"Correct for the most part, Miss Granger. I am glad to see that _someone_ has taken the time to read ahead. Take ten points. Class, before I allow you to begin, I will warn you that under no circumstances should you perform this spell on another human. After you are proficient with changing the state of water, we will move on to more complicated substances. Until then, I had better not catch anyone trying this spell on anything that is not a glass of water! I shall return momentarily," McGonagall said in her strict Scottish brogue. She then walked out of the room. No one saw the small cat gracefully slinking towards the corner of the room and hiding in a bookshelf.

Hermione moved to pair up with Harry, obviously realizing that he had previous experience with this type of Transfiguration. Ron sent Harry a sympathetic look and paired off with Neville.

Hermione eyed him carefully as he pointed his wand at the glass of water. Harry sighed, knowing that Hermione was bothered by the fact that he had been coasting through the school year with top marks and doing the least amount of homework he could. Harry put as little power as he could into the spell, managing to only cause the glass to frost over. Unfortunately, this was the wrong thing to do.

"Harry, I don't get it. You aren't _trying_… You never try, but you still manage to always get the spell on your first try. I can tell your failing on purpose. And with the little effort you are giving, you shouldn't be able to control the spell even _halfway_," Hermione said, looking at him like she wished she was a master Legilimens.

Harry had thought that letting Hermione get the spell first would placate her, but she was obviously mad that Harry was downplaying in his classes and still doing better than her. Transfiguration, Charms, and Potions had always been the classes in which Hermione was consistently the first one to master a spell, so it was understandable that she was a little miffed. The fact that Harry was now the quickest in Transfiguration and Charms without studying made it seem that all her studying had been for nothing. She was jealous, but Harry had to admit that she had a right to be jealous. If Harry worked as hard as she did and was quicker to master spells, Hermione would have been happy for him.

The problem was that Harry didn't know what to do about it. Hermione was too sharp to let Harry pretend he was average and it seemed to offend Hermione even more when he did that. He didn't want to explain his extensive magical studies with the Half-Blood Prince either… or the fact that he was an unregistered Animagus.

Realizing Hermione was tapping her foot and waiting for an answer, he quietly said, "I did a ton of studying over the summer, remember? I spent the whole summer working on spells to help me with _You-Know-What_ and if you think about Dumbledore's fight with Voldemort at the Ministry, you'll realize why I've worked so much at Transfiguration. Not to mention Ollivander said my dad was great at Transfiguration…"

"Oh, that makes sense. I'm sorry for being so…"

"Hermione-ish?" Harry offered.

Hermione glared at him. "Well, you can teach me how to do this spell then…"

Harry chuckled and proceeded to explain the details of the _Vicissitudo_ spell, showing Hermione the precise step one must do to cause the water to change form. Finally, Hermione got it and gave a shout of glee.

Neither of them noticed a ginger tabby cat that had snuck behind them, listening to their whole conversation, looking at Harry with raised eyebrows. She looked shocked at Harry's words, but she was very impressed with his prowess. Dumbledore had asked her to report everything Harry did back to him, but McGonagall decided that perhaps it was best not to blindly follow the headmaster on this issue. She was proud of Harry; there was no denying it. The headmaster may have believed that he was turning into a Tom Riddle, but how could that be possible? He had held back to spare the feelings of his friend and then gently taught her the spell. McGonagall noticed that Harry hadn't even done the spell yet, caring more about Hermione's success than his own.

Harry congratulated her and then decided to change the ice back into water so that she could have another go. "_ Vicissitudo Fervens,_" he muttered, causing the ice to return to room-temperature water. "Here, now have another go."

McGonagall's eyes widened and she reverted back into her human form. "Mr. Potter… I don't believe we have gone over that spell yet… how did you…" she stuttered, her accent growing thicker as she progressed.

Harry wheeled around. _Shit, she must have heard everything. Potter, you need to be more bloody careful! What if she's reporting to Dumbledore?_

"Well, uh, you see… I've been reading ahead because I wanted to be skilled enough…" Harry stopped, not wanting Hermione to know that he was going to receive special Animagus training.

McGonagall looked at him funnily for a moment and then gave a curt nod. "I see. I am thrilled that you are taking your studies this seriously Potter. However, please refrain from attempting advanced spells that can be potentially dangerous. If you had poured too much energy into that spell, you could have caused it to vaporize and burn Miss Granger."

Harry nodded; although he was pretty sure he wouldn't accidentally overheat the water and give Hermione a steam burn. "I'm sorry, Professor."

When McGonagall had left, Hermione had her inquisitive look on her face. Harry groaned, sometimes keeping secrets took too much effort.

"Harry, what did you mean by wanting to be 'skilled enough'?" she said, peering intently at him.

"Uh, well… my father got a perfect score on his transfiguration NEWT and I wanted to-"

"Follow in his footsteps…" Hermione concluded with a knowing look in her eyes. "I knew it! Ever since McGonagall talked to you that day… I had a feeling you were going to become an Animagus. I don't see why you couldn't have told us… I thought we were your friends!"

Hermione really was too smart for her own good. "Keep it down, will you? I'll explain later. But listen, Hermione, I just didn't want you to get upset about it. I know you hate it that I make classes look like a joke-"

Hermione was about to interrupt, but Harry continued in a low but serious voice. "And I understand why it bothers you. I just didn't want to make you more upset."

"I wouldn't have been up-" Hermione blurted out indignantly.

"Yeah, you would've. Don't worry, I understand why you would have and it makes sense. I'm not mad."

"Okay, we'll discuss it later. I still think you should have told us though… maybe we would have wanted to study with you and become Animagi as well!" The look on Hermione's face let him know that they had now gotten to the real issue.

"Shh!" Harry said sharply, quickly putting a Silencing Charm around them. He didn't think anyone had overheard them yet, but Hermione had a tendency to get louder when she got more emotional… "After class!"

After class ended, Harry considered slipping off, but he figured that he had an opportunity to push the situation in the right direction, rather than allow it to grow. He put a Silencing Charm around their section of the Gryffindor Common Room and sat down. "So…"

"Harry, it's not that you decided to become an Animagus, it's that you didn't tell us! We wouldn't have told anyone, you know that! …don't you?" she added weakly.

"Well…" Harry began, but then stopped. He looked at Hermione and realized that she needed the gentle lie. "It's more of a safety issue. You know, the more people you tell, the more likely it is for it to come out in the open. It's a rule throughout history, Hermione, if you need something to stay secret, you don't tell anyone."

"But we all could have learned together! It… it just hurts that you went behind our backs this way. Don't you think we could have come to some sort of agreement if you had just talked to us earlier?"

Harry wasn't sure they would have been able to come to an agreement. In fact, he was content with the way he had spent his summer and he had no plans about divulging even more information regarding his Animagus forms, but perhaps there was some truth in this 'mending bridges' nonsense that Dumbledore spoke of.

"How about this… after you lot finish learning Occlumency, I'll work with you on becoming Animagi if you really want that. Ron and Neville are only decent at Transfiguration and I honestly have no clue about Luna. I don't think McGonagall will agree to train them, but I do think that with a lot of work, all of them can accomplish it. We'll have to practice nightly in the Room of Requirement, and we _will not_ be registering. Do you think you can handle that? I'm teaching you for two reasons. The first is because you're my friend and I know it will make you happy, but the second, and more important, reason is that it will help you survive."

"Thanks, Harry," she said emotionally. "You know, sometimes I just get scared that we're no longer going to be the close group of friends that we used to be. I feel like you're breaking away from us; like you've outgrown the bushy-haired Hermione and the immature-but-loyal Ron. We used to spend so much time together, and now if it wasn't for our 'Harry's Army', we probably wouldn't get to spend any time outside of classes with you. What bothers me the most is that we used to tell each other everything, but now you have so many secrets that you seem like a different person. It felt like our friendship was dying… and everything I did made it worse." At this point tears were trickling down Hermione's face.

Harry grabbed her hand and walked her outside of the classroom so that no one could notice her silent tears. "Hermione, I'm sorry it seemed that way. I promise you. I wish I didn't have to put distance between us over summer, but I had some things I just had to get done. I wish all of us could spend time together more often, but Voldemort won't let that happen. The best we can do is train together and hopefully I can take him down. Then we can spend all the time we want doing whatever we want. I don't want you to think that I'm trying to put distance between us; I'm just trying to ensure that we all reach our twentieth birthdays."

Hermione tried to say something, but Harry decided that he needed to say a few things first. "Listen, you guys are the best group of friends I could ever ask for. I'm not going to lie and say I wasn't frustrated by the way you and Ron acted childishly this summer, but you know what? You two grew up, Hermione, just like I did. I'd like to think that we can eventually become better friends than we were before. You understand why I had to keep secrets, and I understand how frustrated you must be with me. That's an improvement over last year."

"I suppose so," sniffed Hermione. "I'm sorry for breaking down… it's just hard to… accept that we can't go back to the way we used to be. I suppose you're right though, we have to grow up and leave our childhood if we want to one day have the future we want."

"That's right, Hermione. You know I think of you as a sister right?" Harry said gently.

Hermione wrapped him in a hug, saying, "I always thought of you as a brother. That's why when you avoided us all summer I couldn't help but wonder if maybe our friendship meant more to me than it did to you. I understand now why you did it, of course…"

"Do you understand why I'm training with you guys early in the morning and in the night?" Harry asked, looking Hermione straight in the eye.

Hermione thought about the significant question instead of saying an obvious answer. "Because you want us to be together for the war. You want all of us to be at your side. You _didn't_ want to break away from us!"

Harry once again knew that he had to give Hermione this. "Well, I did consider it over the summer… but when school started, I realized I didn't want to lose you guys. Then I realized that you guys _were_ growing up and it wouldn't be right to do everything alone anymore. It was never my intention to cut myself off… I just had to change myself, and the only way to do that was to do it alone. I know that change has forced us all to change, but I truly think that it is for the better." Harry thought he believed that, but for some reason, he found himself picturing a man with hard green eyes… a similar colored jet of light shooting out of his wand. He shook the thought away; he simply had to believe that he was changing for the better; he simply had to journey down the shadowy path that he had set before himself and not look back.

Hermione gave him another hug. "Thanks for telling me all of this, Harry. It really makes me feel a lot better about everything."

"I'm glad it does," Harry said sincerely. When she turned, he let out a big sigh.

Harry had quite a few things to think about. He had to somehow organize Animagus training for his five friends and keep it secret, get them to the point where they were decent Occlumens, and get their morning exercises back on track. Not to mention the time he needed to practice additionally with Ginny alone.

Then there was still the matter of coming up with solution to McGonagall's offer to teach him how to be an Animagus. Harry knew he could turn into the stag without training extra for it; his hard work with the lion and phoenix had left him with the skills required to transform into a stag. McGonagall would not be fooled if he tried to pretend he was new to Animagus training. Harry decided to keep his eyes open for a solution and be patient; he still had a week and four days before Halloween.

After dinner, Harry asked his friends to come with him to the Room of Requirement. They needed to work out some scheduling issues and Harry needed to check how far their Occlumency was coming along. However, as they approached the statue on the seventh floor, Harry found that he couldn't enter the Room of Requirement. He tried again, thinking of a place to practice defense, but the door simply wouldn't open.

"Harry? Why can't we go in?" asked Ginny.

"I dunno, I've never had this happen before."

"Do you think Dumbledore has blocked it off or something?" Ron asked, moving towards the door. "Maybe he doesn't want us to have a place to practice magic…"

"Good idea, try asking the Room to be something that appears perfectly normal," said Hermione.

"It wouldn't work for a broom cupboard, Quidditch pitch, or the Gryffindor Common Room," muttered Ron disappointedly.

"So that means either Dumbledore has put a permanent block on the room or someone else is occupying it," said Harry darkly. "The headmaster demanded that we let him watch our training sessions. I said no, of course, and he seemed a little too quick to accept my answer. Now we would have to train outside which would make it easier for him to watch us; I'm pretty sure he has a way of turning invisible at Hogwarts."

"Harry, I checked for wards and I didn't find anything. Maybe you should check…" Hermione added.

"Nope, I got nothing," muttered Harry. "But Dumbledore is very powerful. As headmaster he probably has a special way of doing these types of things."

"We're forgetting about the other possibility," said Luna, cutting through Harry's muttering.

"Yeah, I suppose any student from the DA would know about it… or any student that caught us last year."

"You mean that slimy blonde git is hiding there?" Ron yelled angrily. "We'll see about that…"

Ron marched up to the door, thinking of all the possible places Malfoy could be hiding in. "No luck…"

Harry looked thoughtful. "I can ask Dumbledore, I suppose. In the mean time, I'm not sure what to do. We can cast privacy charms and wards around our dorms, but then Luna can't get in. Also, I'd rather work on…" Harry shot a look at Hermione, "… our newest project in a more private place."

"What project?" Neville asked.

"After you guys are decent at Occlumency, I can tell you," said Harry. "Why don't we just work on that for a bit; one of us may get an idea about the Room."

Harry put up some quick wards and then began to probe their defenses. Luna's, of course, still had a solid protection that Harry couldn't dent in the least. Ginny's was decent; Harry had to concentrate to penetrate her mind. Once he did so, Ginny tried to push him out. She was unsuccessful, but it was a definite improvement. Hermione's mind was very well organized, almost like a library. She had completed the task of categorizing memories, but there were no walls between the layers yet. She had the makings of a fine Occlumens given time to fortify her mind.

After explaining to Hermione what she needed to do next, Harry moved on to Neville. He had a fairly strong outer wall that took Harry a while to penetrate, but once Harry penetrated the wall, he could view Neville's memories with ease. Neville wasn't able to pressure him out once he got in.

Ron was the opposite of Neville. Harry stabbed in viewing more and more personal memories, but then Harry felt a force pushing him back strongly. Ron had no outer wall yet, but his inner, most private memories were well protected. Harry knew he could break his way into Ron's most personal memories, but that would require a lot of effort on Harry's part, not to mention giving Ron a headache.

Harry withdrew out of Ron's mind and shifted his gaze. He felt a very slight tingle as his Legilimency brushed against another mind, but he couldn't see anything. Confused, he stabbed out with his Legilimency in the area between Ron and the wall. He encountered a shielded mental presence. He pushed as hard as he could, but the invisible man was obviously a skilled Occlumens. Harry put a final burst of mental energy into his attack and he saw images of Kingsley Shacklebolt talking with Dumbledore, agreeing to watch Harry.

Harry cursed violently and sent a powerful Summoning Charm towards Kingsley's invisibility cloak. Kingsley's countered his spell, but Harry put a large pulse of wandless energy into his spell, tearing the fabric from Kingsley's grasp.

"I can't believe it," hissed Harry. "You know, I always respected you as an Auror, but I never thought that you would stoop to this level." Harry turned to his friends who looked confused. "He was spying on me and reporting back to Dumbledore."

"If you had seen the full memory you would know that I had reservations about watching over you," Kingsley said with forced calmness. He was surprised to have a sixteen-year-old catch him while he was under the cloak, since he had received top marks in his Stealth and Tracking Exam… Not to mention that Kingsley considered himself a good Occlumens. He knew that the only reason Harry had broken inside his mind was because he was caught by surprise, but still! No wonder Alastor was always raving about what a good Auror this kid would make.

"Yet you still agreed to do it," Harry snarled.

"Yes, I did. I did it because I thought it would help protect you," Kingsley said, trying to calm Harry.

"What have you seen and what have you told him?" demanded Harry loudly. Harry pointed his wand at Kingsley and the others did the same. "I want the truth."

"I observed everything the happened since your Care of Magical Creatures class. I have not told Dumbledore anything yet. I had planned to meet with him at the end of the week," Kingsley said.

Harry felt a sinking feeling. He stabbed into Kingsley's mind, but the Auror was ready. Harry's Legilimency was good, but not excellent.

"Get me once, shame on me…" Kingsley said.

Harry cursed; that meant he had heard what Harry had said to Hermione. There was only one thing to do. Harry tensed his muscles, and exploded into motion. "_OBLIVIATE_"

"What are you doing here, Kingsley?" Harry asked calmly.

"I was supposed to be watching you under the cloak, Harry. I don't know how I got uncovered."

"Now I need you to NOT watch us anymore. Tell Dumbledore you're sick and tired of going along with his sodding schemes. I will know if you are still watching us, Kingsley, and believe me, if I find that you've been following us under your cloak, I will make you _eat_ that cloak. It's nothing personal; I actually respect you for being one of the only respectable Aurors in the Ministry. Look at you, you're a skilled Auror in your prime, but what are you using your skills for? Nothing; you're wasting your time following a sixteen-year-old. You can do much better than blindly taking orders from Dumbledore. Now get out of my sight!" Harry spoke with such a chilling, forcefulness that even his friends got goose bumps.

"Potter, I don't think you should go against Dum-"

"Leave. Now." Harry was furious at Dumbledore. Kingsley was a good Auror; he should be out in the thick of it bringing in Death Eaters, not spying on Harry. Voldemort's Death Eaters outnumbered the Order, and Dumbledore wasn't helping by using valuable fighters to spy on teens. He was angry that Kingsley was soaking up everything that Dumbledore said instead of thinking with his own brain.

"Hear me out! Harry, I didn't agree quickly to Dumbledore's assignment, but while thinking it over, I realized that it wasn't such a bad idea. I could have instead been guarding someone else, but who else is as much of a target as you?" Kingsley said. As he reached the end of his statement he looked thoughtful.

"I suppose there is some logic in that… but the fact of the matter is that I don't want to be spied upon. If I wanted a bodyguard, you or Tonks would have been one of my first choices, but at the moment, I will not be trailed, especially if you are reporting to Dumbledore," Harry said firmly, his eyes hard and focused.

"Hmm… come to think of it, I haven't anything _to_ report to Dumbledore…"

Harry cursed mentally, willing his brain to think of something that wouldn't tip Kingsley or Dumbledore off that he had used a Memory Charm on the Auror. Harry was no expert in removing memories from a person's mind, although he had done a decent job. Dumbledore could probably manage to find the memory somehow, especially since he was a skilled Legilimens and Kingsley a skilled Occlumens.

"Kingsley, that's because nothing out of the ordinary has been happening. Whereas outside of Hogwarts, there's a war going on; a war where your skills are greatly needed. I suggest you help Dumbledore see that. Next time he tells you to do something, think with your own brain… don't blindly follow his orders."

Harry noticed that his friends were being silent, something he was grateful for at this point. Harry continued, "Good bye, Kingsley. Remember, if you try to spy on me, I will know…"

Kingsley looked at him weirdly, as if wondering whether he should punish this rude child for disrespecting his elders or to trust the mature, firm, and somewhat angry young man. He had to admit that Potter had struck a chord by accusing him of being Dumbledore's tool. He was Kingsley Shacklebolt, Head of the Auror Division, and considered the best Auror since Mad-Eye Moody. What was he doing spying on a teenager who spent his days… _wait a minute… what was he doing all of today, I remember Dumbledore giving me the assignment and then at noon today I followed him to lunch… didn't he have Transfiguration today? Why don't I remember what happened? What about his class after that… and what was he doing here in this hallway?_ wondered Shacklebolt. He nodded at Harry and left; he couldn't decide whether to agree or disagree with him, especially since he couldn't recall what had happened to get him into this situation.

_A/N So sorry about taking so long with this one, but I had some problems at work. I should be back on track now, with more regular chapters. _

_Anyway, please review. _


	10. Chapter 10: A Momentary Lapse

**Savior in the Shadows by Diviniti**

**Chapter 10: A Momentary Lapse of Movement**

**Author's Notes: Thank you to my beta, Termalaine. **

As soon as he left, Hermione looked at Harry and shrieked, "What exactly do you think you were doing? Using a Memory Charm on Shacklebolt and being so disrespectful… You're going to make it all worse!"

"Not here!" hissed Harry, moving towards the Room of Requirement. _OPEN, GODDAMNIT! I NEED A BLOODY ROOM OF ANY KIND_ he screamed mentally, but nothing happened. He blew out a long breath, closing his eyes and trying to let his frustration out. Hermione was right, he knew. However, if he had to go back and have the 'conversation' all over again, he would have done it the same way. "Okay, we need to get to a safe spot to talk. Nowhere in Hogwarts is private enough now that we can't get in to the Room of Requirement."

Ginny peered at him, mouthing, "Potter Manor?"

Harry gave a slight "no" and then thought about what the other options were. There was nowhere at all in Hogwarts where he felt safe enough to have a conversation about the things he had obliviated from Kingsley's mind. As soon as Dumbledore found out that Kingsley had been uncovered, he would likely take the task into his own hands, using his great knowledge of magic combined with his intimate knowledge of Hogwarts to keep an eye on Harry.

Harry had a few options, none of which seeming very attractive. He could either keep his friends in the dark and postpone their spell training, or he could take advantage of his traveling abilities. He could transport them to Grimmauld Place, but then the only way to return to Hogwarts would be by flame travel. He definitely didn't want to risk his phoenix form leaking out to anyone else, so that wouldn't work. He could try to make a Portkey, but Dumbledore would figure it out quickly and most likely put a stop to it. Dumbledore was most likely watching the Floo Network in and out of Hogwarts, so it wouldn't be an option to Floo directly in to Hogwarts… but how about Hogsmeade? Harry realized that wouldn't work because if they consistently used someone else's Floo, it would look very suspicious, especially because they were Hogwarts students. However, there was another option that followed a similar train of thought.

"I think I have an idea about what we can do," Harry said suddenly, causing everyone's attention to snap towards him. "I can take you to Grimmauld Place every day for our training. Lupin and Tonks both stay there, so they can help out if we need."

"How will we return, Harry?" Hermione asked anxiously. "Are you going to tell us about your secret way of moving?"

"Well, we are going to learn how to Apparate. Lupin will teach us how."

"For the billionth time! You CAN'T!"

"We know, Hermione… we can Apparate into Grimmauld Place from Hogsmeade and we'll get to Hogsmeade using the secret passage. Plus, Apparating is generally very useful for escaping, as long as the enemy hasn't blocked it. Anti-Apparition wards are fairly hard to construct, and Voldemort doesn't always use them. In ambushes and planned attacks, they are used, but in most situations, Apparition is a useful plan B. We should learn how to do it anyway."

"It'd be wicked to be able to Apparate, but I don't think I'll be able to…" Ron trailed off doubtfully.

"Nonsense, mate, I've been reading about it. It's not really hard magic, you just have to believe that you are capable of making your body vanish and reappear. The Ministry just doesn't want minors doing it, so they make it seem like this complicated spell," Harry said reassuringly.

"But the Ministry! They'll know and we'll be _expelled_!" Hermione said worriedly.

"Hmm… I hadn't thought of that… I won't be trackable, but you lot will be."

"Drats," Ginny said disappointedly. "Well, we can fly back to Hogwarts on brooms maybe…"

"Why won't you be trackable? Are you actually supposed to be a seventh year or something?" Neville asked.

"Well, let's just say that I have found a way around that." Harry thought a moment."No, it's too far. We can't spend that much time. Well, for now, I'll ward off my section of our dormitory and we can at least work on Occlumency and talk in secret. We can't practice spells and we will have to constantly be on the watch in case Dumbledore decides to dismantle them, but it's the best we can do for now. I'll keep thinking about it, okay? Tomorrow morning we need to start back up on our exercises. Have you guys been doing them while I was in the Hospital Wing?"

"Yeah, we did. We did the running and all that. We couldn't really do any more sparring, so Hermione conjured dummies and we practiced on them," Neville answered.

"Great job, Neville, way to keep our lazy friends in line," Harry said smiling. "I need to write Tonks and tell her that she can't Portkey into the Room of Requirement anymore though. I guess we can't get her to teach us after all. It's a shame because I'm really not that good at Martial Arts."

"Well, we should be getting to bed now," Hermione said, sounding very much like Gryffindor's head of house.

"Yeah, I'm knackered," muttered Harry, cutting through Ron's complaints that it was way too early to go to bed.

"I'm not very tired, Neville," Luna said out of nowhere.

Neville turned red but allowed Luna to drag him into a broom closet, ignoring the laughter of his friends.

"Ron, if you aren't tired, you need to finish up your Potions essay, Snape will give you a detention if it's not complete," Hermione said bossily as they walked to the Gryffindor Common Room.

Ron groaned and moaned, but Hermione had her way, leaving Harry and Ginny alone.

"Hey Ginny," Harry said as they sat down on the couch. He placed an arm around her, his hand absently rubbing her arm.

"Hey Harry," she said, her mind clearly on something else.

"What's wrong? You look worried," Harry asked gently.

"Nothing… I was thinking."

"About what?"

Ginny blew out a breath. "About Hogwarts… don't take this the wrong way, but being at Hogwarts used to be the highlight of my year. Except first year of course…"

"And now it's not?" Harry prodded gently.

"Now… it just seems like Hogwarts is some task or ordeal we have to get through. We have to be so cautious and secretive… we're always training and worrying about the war. I love spending time with you and the others, but I just wish that once in a while we could just break out of this routine that Hogwarts forces us into."

"I know exactly what you mean. Hogwarts doesn't feel like home anymore, does it? When you're at home, you can speak freely without worrying about prying eyes. You're with people who understand you and you can let your guard down. I started realizing that Hogwarts wasn't my true home last year. It felt like everyone was trying to needle me in some way and I would have given anything to have just spent a week with Sirius."

"I shouldn't be complaining, life here is so much easier for me than it is for you…" Ginny trailed off, thinking about all that her boyfriend had to suffer through here.

"Don't be silly, Ginny. You have every reason to be tired of Hogwarts. It's O.W.L. year for you and all the extra training and stuff hasn't helped. Also, you have had to constantly be alert and constantly worry about me, and I know that can be hard."

"Well I do like Hogwarts because it means getting to be with my friends, but I'm tired of constantly having to be suspicious of everything and everyone. The training isn't the problem, that's my favorite part of the day."

Harry thought about it for a minute. She had to be wary and suspicious all the time because she was his girlfriend. "Well, Ginny you wouldn't have to be so on-edge if-"

Ginny slammed her elbow into his ribs. "NO! That's not what I meant. Being with you is the highlight of my year; it's the best thing that has ever happened to me."

"Same here. Okay, I'm sorry for suggesting that. What we can do is drop your useless subjects like Divination, and Astronomy, and History of Magic. What job do you want to have?"

Ginny thought about it for minute and then replied, "Professional Quidditch and Curse-Breaking as a backup."

Harry nodded. "I would play Quidditch if it were possible too… Anyway, so you can drop those three courses; they're useless, and the teachers tend to assign too much homework. That will free up a lot of time, since you will only be taking one more class than me. We will have more time to just hang out like normal."

"That's a good idea; I think I'm going to talk to McGonagall about that. I just won't be able to get more than 9 O.W.L.s instead of 12. Not that I care in the least… but Mum may be a bit upset. She's always reckoned that I was going be just like Bill or Percy… Head Girl, Prefect, O.W.L.s… but…"

"You're too much like the wrong brothers, Miss Weasley?" Harry said smirking. "Anyways, you need to do what's best for you, not what your mum thinks is best. In my opinion, you should follow the path your parents set before you until you have a clear idea of what you want to do. Now that you have your own thoughts, you need to do what you think is best, not what you are told. Aside from that, I have another idea of what we can do. This weekend, do you want to go to Potter Manor and just play Quidditch and stuff? That's where I feel most at home. Hogwarts used to be haven for me, but now I can't relax in the castle anymore."

"That's brilliant, Harry, I can't wait!" Ginny said excitedly. "I missed you so much when you were unconscious…"

"Well I'm here now so we better put the time we have to good use!" Harry said pulling Ginny closer to him and pressing his lips against hers. His body was yearning for her so he deepened the kiss, their tongues dancing passionately. His hands roamed all over her shapely body. Hers were apparently doing the same because they were inside of his robes and caressing his upper body. Harry couldn't help himself; his senses were being overloaded. He made to lay her gently on the couch and move on top of her, but Ginny was pushing him back, sitting in his lap, her legs wrapped around him. His hand slid inside of her robes, feeling her soft skin. The hand wandered up as if it had a mind of his own until it touched a soft article of clothing. _Merlin, what the hell is your hand doing their, Potter?!_ his mind screamed, causing him to disconnect their entwined tongues and pull back. He turned red as he sheepishly removed his hand from underneath Ginny's robes.

"Sorry, Ginny, I just got caught up in the moment I didn't mean to, err-" Harry stammered apologetically. If he hadn't broken it right there, he knew he probably would have started ripping her clothes off.

"You didn't do anything, Harry. In case you didn't notice, my hands were the first to go under your robes. That was amazing… but scary. It wasn't you; it was me. I couldn't help it; I just had to pounce on you… if you hadn't pulled back right then…"

"I don't think either of us is ready to go there yet." Harry shifted his legs, trying futilely to hide the evidence that his body did not agree with that particular statement. "What we have right now is perfect, right?"

"Yeah… thanks Harry," Ginny said, giving him a soft kiss on the cheek.

"Thanks for what?" Harry asked bewildered.

"For being such a wonderful guy," Ginny replied simply.

"Huh, were you not listening? I just completely lost control…"

"But you didn't and I know I can trust you not to," said Ginny sincerely.

Harry decided not to argue since he was at quite a loss for words. "Well, we should probably go to bed, I suppose."

"Don't think you're going anywhere without giving me a good night kiss," Ginny said threateningly.

"Yes, Lady Ginny," Harry said with a mock bow. He cupped her cheek and gently brushed his lips against hers. The kiss lacked the fiery, consuming passion they had before, but was tender and reassuring. "Good night, Ginny. Everything will work out, I promise."

"I believe you, Harry. Good night."

Harry had to take his morning exercises slowly because his body was still recovering. He grew frustrated when the attacks and moves that were once fluid and graceful were now slow and uneasy, but he reminded himself that he was lucky to be at this physical level after his near-death experience. It also hadn't helped that he had stayed in bed for five days, hardly moving his muscles. He had to consciously keep himself from getting frustrated, because frustration led to anger, which messed up his concentration.

He just told himself that he would soon get back into the routine and then train like hell. He had seen what was out there and it wasn't pretty or soft. The fact of the matter was that he had to be a different person if he wanted to carve out a victory in situations similar to the fight with Lucius Malfoy. Right now, if he stayed stagnant and didn't improve, he wouldn't survive another attack. He needed to methodically work with the same furor and intensity that he had over the summer and truly change himself.

His summer hadn't been easy, but in a way, it had been the best time of his life. There was nothing more encouraging than witnessing one's ability to elevate one's life with conscious endeavor. He had put in blood, sweat, and time; he had sacrificed short-term gratification, and over time, it had paid off. His one regret was that he hadn't forced himself to start preparing earlier.

If there was a limit to what he could achieve with constant hard work and determination, he knew that he had not reached it yet. He had to continue to exhaust himself and push himself. Sure, as Ginny had said, it wasn't fun. In fact, he had lost his stomach or fainted more than once over the summer. At Hogwarts, he hadn't been training half as hard, but he still could feel the work he was doing leech away at his energy. He ate well, but he hardly even spent time doing anything other than training in some form. As Ginny had said, it did make him want to get on a boat to the Bahamas and soak up some sun.

But… when he looked in the mirror in six months, wouldn't the sense of accomplishment he would feel be worth it? He wanted a lot of things, none of which could be bought with his considerable amount of Galleons. The price of improvement was constant effort and dedication.

He knew what he would do. He would relax for a day with Ginny, rejuvenate, and then pursue his goals with the same single-minded determination that had allowed him to save Lupin and Tonks's lives. He had a path to walk, and right now, his legs were a bit sore. As soon as they healed, he would have no other choice but to run like the wind.

Still, as much as he told himself that he had to get back on track, the idea of spending a day in Potter Manor with Ginny was one that he could not refuse. Not because he wanted the enjoyment. He could see that she needed it, and for some reason, that was very important to Harry.

After breakfast, Harry journeyed up and down the Gryffindor table, making sure that the new Quidditch players weren't too nervous to eat. A grin found its way on to his face, memories of Oliver Wood's fanatical pep talks coming to his mind.

"All right, it's time for you all to get into your Quidditch gear. Oi! That's enough Seamus. Don't worry Demelza, it's not tradition for the youngest player to fall off of her broom…"

After Harry had gathered his team together, he began to give his speech. "Okay, here's the plan. Chasers, I've seen you working together, you know what to do. I've been gone the last few days, but as long as you stick to the drills that you have been practicing as a team, we'll have it in the bag. Seamus, Dean, remember that the Ravenclaw's Beaters are on fast brooms, but they their bats don't pack as much of a punch. They tend to pass the Bludgers between one and the other and then sneakily aim for whoever looks like they don't expect it. If you can take one of them out early, Ravenclaw won't stand a chance. Ravenclaw's Keeper is only decent, so your next targets will be the Chasers. Their Chasers, Cormichael, Turpin, and Cornfoot, are what we have to keep our eyes on. Ron, I know you can shut them down; you have to know that you can shut the down too! Does anyone have any questions?"

After a series of "no's", Harry yelled, "Good! Ravenclaw doesn't stand a chance!"

Soon the Gryffindor's were flying out over the green Quidditch Pitch in the brisk October weather. The stands were filled with people, and Luna's serene, dreamy voice spoke into the microphone. "And the Gryffindor team has entered. First there's Bell, Robbins, and Weasley as Chasers! Oh, look, Thomas and Finniegan are Beaters… I never knew they played Quidditch, but then I don't know everything. In fact, yesterday a Curco Scaled Wombat asked me a riddle and I-"

"LOVEGOOD, IF YOU CANNOT MAKE COMMENTS RELATED TO THE MATCH, THEN DON'T COMMENT AT ALL," shouted McGonagall.

"Oh yes, very well. Well I suppose the Gryffindor team is already out so I won't get a chance to announce them. We all know who they are, so I'll skip to Ravenclaw. That's my house, you know. But some of the Ravenclaw's take my stuff and hide it, so I don't really want them to win…"

Harry was holding in laughter, wondering who in their right mind would make Luna commentator. After she had rapidly announced the names of the Ravenclaw team, speaking extremely fast so that she could catch up, the game had begun.

"Weasley grabs the Quaffle, dodging that blue-robed person, I think it's Turpin, but my view was blocked by the Wind Ruffles. She passes it to Bell, who avoids a Bludger and pelts it towards the right goal… Ten, Zero, Gryffindor!"

Harry snuck glances at the Chasers and Beaters, but he was mainly focused on finding the Snitch. He noticed that Cho wasn't trailing him yet, but she was watching where he was looking.

"And Turpin passes to Cornfoot, but he missed the catch because of a well aimed Bludger! Demelza makes the grab and flies towards the-"

"Demelza! Watch out!" Ron bellowed, causing Demelza to execute a Sloth-Grip Roll and avoid a Bludger.

Harry nodded at Ron, thankful that someone was keeping an eye on the situation. Harry couldn't afford to watch the game and shout out orders, but Ron was doing a great job of it. He knew the strategies better than Harry, and he seemed to be a Seer when it came to predicting what the opponent was going to do.

The score was 30-10, Gryffindor taking the lead. Ravenclaw had taken more shots, but Ron had blocked most of them.

Harry saw McDougal, a wiry Beater, sneaking behind Demelza. Ginny was currently flying after Turpin, who was heading to the goal, and Katie was covering Carmichael, stopping Turpin from making a passing the Quaffle. Seamus whacked the Quaffle towards Turpin, but she rolled and avoided the Quaffle. Ginny did the same and the angry mass streaked towards McDougal. A plan formed in Harry's mind as he streaked in between the Beater and Demelza, his Lightening Strike cutting through the air like a bullet. Cho predictably took off after him. She had gotten herself a fairly fast Nimbus 2001 so covered the distance a bit quicker than Harry had predicted. Nonetheless, Harry congratulated himself. Just before McDougal took a swipe at the Bludger, he realized that Cho was directly in between Robbins and himself. He altered the direction of his swing, causing the Bludger to fly into Dean's area. Unfortunately, Turpin had scored.

Ginny flew up the pitch with possession of the Quaffle as Dean held his bat with two hands and swung, causing the Bludger to fly towards Entwhistle, a short, stout Beater. Entwhistle was busy slamming a Bludger towards Ginny, so he did not see the angry iron ball rocketing towards the tail of his broom. He began to spiral downwards, but Ginny managed to hurl the Quaffle through the left ring before time-out was called. Luckily, he spiraled downwards slowly instead of free falling. He did, however, break an ankle, and could no longer play.

Harry clapped Dean and Seamus on the back, telling them that it was never fun to injure another player, but sometimes it had to be done. Harry noticed that Cho and McDougal were glaring at him, but he wasn't concerned. He wouldn't break any rules, but he couldn't help feeling merciless.

"And the game has resumed! Turpin is in possession, passes to Carmichael, who shoots and scores! I wonder if Ron was attacked by an Erkulisk. They're miniature, invisible basilisks that petrify someone for only a second. Oh dear, some people are being rather rude and telling me to comment on only the boring stuff… well, I suppose I must. The score is now 70 to 50 with Gryffindor in the lead… Oh! Wait! It looks like Robbins just scored! I wonder why Cornfoot didn't block her shot, although I suppose he was busy dodging a Bludger."

Harry kept an eye on Seamus and Dean, but they seemed to have the situation under control. They were keeping one of the Chasers occupied with Bludgers, allowing Gryffindor's Chasers to overwhelm Ravenclaw. They were nothing compared to Fred and George, of course, but they were doing their job well.

Harry decided to circle around for the Snitch and let his team do their work. He noticed that Cho was trailing him and hardly even scanning the field for the Snitch. Harry smirked at her; her strategy was a decent one when used against Seekers on a slower broom, but Harry knew it wouldn't work against him. As soon as she thought Harry had seen the Snitch, she would try to dart ahead of him and catch it.

Harry sharply snapped his head downward, focusing on an imaginary object below him. He jerked the handle of his broom downward and plummeted towards the ground. He didn't look back at Cho; he knew she would be following. When he could see the individual drops of moisture on the crisp grass, he angled his broom upward and looked behind him. Cho was nearly twenty feet away from the ground and had a haughty smirk on her face. Harry cursed his stupidity as he realized what he had done wrong. He had flown down way too fast, pulling out of his dive when Cho was still thirty feet off the ground and had plenty of time to level herself. He should have done it slower, moving slow enough so that Cho's Nimbus 2001 was only a few feet behind him. _Oh well, at least Gryffindor now had a 50 point lead,_ he thought. He ignored Cho and started circling the pitch, deciding not to fool around and just catch the Snitch. For nearly ten minutes, the Snitch had still not made its appearance, and the score was 60 to 130. Then he saw a flicker of gold on the other side of the pitch, near the Hufflepuff section of the stands. Harry bolted after it, pushing his broom to its limits. The Snitch plummeted downwards after Harry got close and Harry quickly changed the angle of his broom, taking care not to throw himself off his broom in the process. He swooped after it, quickly bridging the distance. The Snitch got closer and closer to the ground, forcing Harry to put him broom inches from the ground. The Snitch tried to shoot upwards, but Harry had been expecting that move and his arm shot out, his hand enclosing around the winged ball.

"AND HARRY POTTER CATCHES THE SNITCH! The score is 290 — 60, GRYFFINDOR WINS!" Luna screamed enthusiastically.

Harry flew back to his team, clapping them all on the back. Ginny grabbed him and kissed him soundly, causing many people to break out into wolf-whistles. "Well done, Lions! You all did great. Ron, great Keeping! Ginny, Katie, Demelza, great job! I didn't get to tally how many goals each of you scored, but-"

"Katie had fifty, Ginny had seventy, and Demelza had twenty," Ron supplied.

"Thanks, good job you three. Demelza, that was an excellent first match for you. Notice that you didn't fall off your broom… Anyway, Ron, great job calling out orders. I know that should be the captain's job, but I can't always watch the game. Ron, if you want, you can be in charge of calling out orders on the field. You'll be in charge of strategy."

"Harry, are you sure?" Ron asked meekly, as if he were afraid that Harry would rethink his choice.

"Yeah, I know you won't let us down. Seamus, Dean, great first game. In addition to our practice, you two should try to build up some upper body muscle. I noticed that you two were getting a bit tired by the end of the game. You got the techniques down pretty well; you just need the muscle."

"All right, captain," they said in unison.

"Well, I know this is a morning game, but we're still going to have a late-night Gryffindor party! For now, you all are free to go off and enjoy your Saturday."

As soon as Harry and Ginny had a chance to be alone, the two of them journeyed to Moaning Myrtle's bathroom, figuring that would be a safe place to transport to Potter Manor. Harry planned to make sure that she got her day of fun.

As soon as they were in Harry's mansion, Harry smiled at her and asked her what she wanted to do.

"I don't know, Harry, let's do whatever you want to do," she replied, smiling at him.

"_Whatever_ I want to do?" Harry wiggled his eyebrows suggestively.

"Oh, you prat… Okay, I wanna work on my Animagus transformation. I got so close to finishing it, but now since we can't get into the Room of Requirement anymore…"

"All right then. Let's meditate for a bit then you can show me how far you've gotten."

Harry meditated with her to make her more comfortable, and then she started to change.

Her arms turned into sleek, muscular, golden limbs. Her legs also transformed, but she had trouble reshaping her midsection and head.

"Boy, this is awkward," she muttered as she looked at herself.

"Okay, concentrate! Now your midsection and shoulders, as beautiful as they are, needs to change into a lion's so it can properly connect your legs and arms. I'm going to transform and you need to look at the way my joints are connected. I know it's a little bit different for a male, but you need to reshape the bones in the same manner," Harry said encouragingly.

He turned into a lion and rolled around so that she could see the way his midsection was formed. She scrunched up her face in concentration, and soon she looked completely like a lion except for the head.

"Excellent! Now do the head. Picture exactly how it looked in the trance you had when you took the potion."

Ginny tried, but she wasn't successful. Whiskers formed on her face and reddish-golden fur formed around her head and neck, but the shape of her head did not change.

"I can't do it!" she screamed in frustration.

"Calm down! I'm going to transform you into your lioness form. It will be a lot different than truly being an Animagus, but you will have an idea of what it feels like," Harry said, adopting the voice he used during martial arts training. He flicked his wand, transforming her into a lioness. After a minute, he transformed her back into her human form. "Okay, now try to do the whole transformation. I know you can do it. Your Transfiguration skill isn't the problem… you just need to calmly and systematically apply what we have learned."

Ginny nodded and slowly her whole body started to reshape. It was a very slow transformation compared to Harry's, but it looked as though she had finally got it.

"Congrats, Ginny! Do you like being a lioness?" Harry asked enthusiastically, ruffling the fur on the top of her head. She really was a beautiful lioness with her golden fur that was tinged with red on the top of her head.

Ginny purred in response and bound around the room. Harry smiled, remembering how when he first transformed it had taken him a while to get used to the powerful legs of a lion that in one leap could cross the room.

"Let's go outside and run around!" Harry said eagerly, transforming into his lion and bolting outside.

While he was running across the Quidditch pitch, Ginny caught up with him. Harry smirked at her and put on a burst of speed, running beyond the Quidditch pitch. There was a large field of green that he had not explored yet. Ginny caught up with him again and started to edge ahead. Harry pushed himself to his maximum speed and regained the lead. They continued for a few minutes, the two feline's racing through Potter Manor's extensive grounds. By the time they were both out of breath, they had come to a medium sized lake filled with glimmering water. Harry jumped into the lake, flailing ungracefully for a few seconds before he managed to find a rhythm of movements that kept him afloat. Ginny was reluctant to join him, so Harry turned back into a human, so he could levitate her over the water. Harry smiled innocently at her before releasing her into the cold water.

A rather angry redhead replaced the lioness. "Harry! I'm going to get you for that. It's freezing!"

"But the water is refreshing! Here, you need to cool your face off," Harry said playfully, splashing her with the icy water. Ginny dove under the water and Harry realized that she was actually a much better swimmer than himself. Still, he managed to get to the shore before she pinned him down.

"Well you caught me…" Harry smiled and glanced at her lips. Ginny beamed at him and moved closer, but before their lips touched, Harry found himself writhing on the ground and giggling uncontrollably as Ginny's hands tickled his sides ruthlessly.

"That'll teach you to dunk me…" she said, ignoring Harry's pleas for mercy. "Now who's the most beautiful, most amazing, smartest witch in the whole world?"

"You… enough…" Harry said desperately. He had never been tickled before, but Ginny was apparently an expert. Finally she stopped, leaving Harry breathing heavily. "You don't need to tickle me if you want compliments…"

"Thanks for taking me here, Harry. I mean it; this is just what I needed."

Harry cast a Drying Charm on the two of them and then brushed the red strands of hair off of her face. "Yeah I know what you mean. Sometimes it's impossible to get some privacy around Hogwarts. You wanna go play Quidditch?"

"Hmm, I have something else I'd rather do since I have you right here," Ginny said slyly, straddling him.

"I think it's I who has you, Gin-Gin," Harry retorted, rolling over so that he was on top of her. Harry sighed in contentment, he loved their playful banter. Of course, there was something he loved even more than that…

After spending the morning and afternoon at Potter Manor, Harry decided to transform into a phoenix and flamed into the deserted bathroom. He did not want to risk appearing in his dorm incase his classmates were there.

"Wow that was pretty cool," Ginny replied after their rapid travel in the fiery vortex.

"Yeah, I know. So do you want to go to Hogsmeade with me tomorrow or should we head back to Potter Manor?"

"Hmm… I need to do some shopping tomorrow. And I think people might get suspicious if we disappear for a whole day tomorrow."

"Okay," Harry replied as they walked back to the Gryffindor Dorm. Suddenly he changed direction. "Let's go to the kitchens and get a snack."

Ginny nodded and the two greeted an ecstatic Dobby. "Hello Dobby, nice to see you again."

"Harry Potter! I is so glad to see you in the kitchen. Have a seat, what would you like! I always enjoy serving Harry. I am sure I will enjoy serving his friend as well."

"Well, we're here for a quick snack, nothing too much. Just a sandwich would be great."

Harry internally groaned as Dobby disappeared and returned with a massive platter.

"Here you are, Harry and Wheezy. I is making the pecan pie myself."

"Thanks Dobby! You're the best elf ever!" Harry said, causing Dobby's eyes to water.

"The greatest wizard ever is complimenting Dobby! Dobby does not believe it; how can he be worthy of such praise…"

"Of course you are…" Harry gave up and decided to just eat the delicious food. Dobby had to be the most stubborn thing Harry had ever seen.

Harry and Ginny stood up after they were finished. "Goodbye Dobby, it was nice to see you again." Harry dropped his voice to a whisper, "And thanks for the ego boost."

Ginny giggled as they walked back to their dormitories. "Looks like the Harry Potter Fan Club has a new leader…"

"Oh be quiet, you… at least Dobby doesn't send me singing valentines-"

"That was mean, Harry!" Ginny exclaimed angrily, giving him a playful thwack on the arm.

"Well, this year I'm going to send you a singing valentine," Harry remarked with a smirk.

"You're so silly sometimes… who would have guessed that the serious, determined Harry Potter had this side."

"You realize that I'm going to have to be serious for quite some time, right? Dumbledore's going to have a fit when he realized I foiled his Kingsley plot. We're going to have be careful talking in corridors even when we're alone. When Dumbledore talked with me, we came to a compromise. Now I've broken it by leaving the castle and he's broken it by spying on me. It doesn't help that he's blocked off the Room of Requirement. Add this Halloween Tournament and McGonagall's extra training to the mix and things are sure to get thick. I have to tread carefully around those two teachers because who knows what they are reporting to Dumbledore." Harry's face was serious; the lighthearted smile gone. "We have one more stretch until the holidays, and I still want to increase the intensity of our training. Right now, I'm taking a break, but…"

"I understand that… hey, extra lessons with McGonagall?" Ginny asked sharply.

"Oh… yeah, I forgot to tell you. Our kind, generous Transfiguration teacher has offered to train me to become an Animagus," Harry said drolly. "I think it might be a genuine offer, and I really don't want to turn her down. But there is a chance she's reporting to Dumbledore, in which case I need to get out of the situation before she gets any information."

"Do you think she's reporting back to Dumbledore? She strikes me as too independent to do that, whether or not she respects Dumbledore. She's been laying into Dumbledore about recent events too," Ginny said wisely.

"Yeah, I've noticed that. I'm going to have to give her a chance because if she is being genuine, then I have a chance to build a relationship with a powerful witch who is close to Dumbledore. If I reject her offer, she will think less of me and be more likely to agree with Dumbledore. If you think about it, at the very least, she is better at Transfiguration than I am, so hopefully I'll end up learning a few tricks."

"So why don't you just pretend to learn how to transform into a stag? She will praise your progress and you will have the chance to find out whether or not she is trustworthy," Ginny replied.

"I can transform myself part by part, but I can't mimic the slow, shaky way a beginner first learns. I could try, but McGonagall has been teaching this for forty years; she's bound to figure it out. Then, she might be mad because I'll be wasting her time," Harry said, sighing as they finally reached the Gryffindor Common Room and took off the cloak. Harry cast a Silencing Charm around them for good measure.

Ginny thought for a long time, her feet absently rubbing against Harry's. "I think I have an idea… over the summer when I saw that you had become a lion, I searched Grimmauld Place for the Animagus book that the Sirius had used. I don't think I found the book they used, but I found one titled _History of the Shape-Shifters_. It said that a few wizards have forms that they chose, namely Merlin who supposedly had twenty-four forms. The book said there was a really complicated potion that could be made where in the trance, the wizard could choose an animal they wished to be. It warned that in the trance the wizard would only get to choose from animals that were compatible with the wizard and some people would see nothing at all. It also warned that this type of transformation was much harder than the standard method, but…"

"You think I can have another form that I can learn with McGonagall?" Harry interrupted excitedly.

"Well, yeah, the book didn't list the ingredients, so we still have to research that…"

"Ginny, you're brilliant!" Harry gave her a quick kiss.

"Glad I could be of service, Mr. Potter. But seriously, listen, I didn't mean to get your hopes to high. The book severely discouraged attempting that kind of transformation…"

"Well, I have to try, I mean, I do have a magical Animagus form and that's supposedly impossible… If it doesn't work, I'll just have to try to worm my way out," Harry said confidently. He was happy now that he had a plan, not to mention the prospect of having a fourth Animagus form. _I wonder what it will be…_ Harry thought.

Harry heard footsteps, so he dropped the Silencing Charm. He saw Ron and Neville walking in, discussing Ron's latest chess victory.

"Harry, where have you been all day?" Ron asked, peering at him strangely. He looked at Ginny, taking in their rumpled hair and his ears turned red.

Harry noticed that Ron was getting ready to blurt out something that would get him Bat-Bogeyed, and Ginny looked at him challengingly, as if daring him to say what he was thinking. "Ron, we went flying, nothing for you to worry about… We just wanted some privacy from Dumbledore, give us a break."

Ron nodded curtly. "Well, let's get to dinner then, I'm-"

"Hungry, we know," said Harry rolling his eyes. "Where's Hermione?"

"Library… she said she'd be back by now, but I swear, its impossible to get her to leave that place once she's cracked open a _short, light_ book…"

Neville chuckled. "Perhaps if you improved your snogging technique, she wouldn't want to spend all the time in the library."

Harry looked strangely at Neville; he never knew Neville had the ability to make that type of comment. "Well, I'm sure she'll find us in the Great Hall, let's get going."

After they had started dinner, Hermione joined them, saying that she had been researching "their Transfiguration project".

"Hermione, you need to be careful; if someone sees what you're reading, they will figure it out!" Harry hissed.

"Oh, Harry, I hadn't thought of that… sorry," she concluded sheepishly.

"Well, just be careful and think about things before you do them," Harry said.

"Care to explain what the two of you are on about?" Ron asked.

"Erm… after we get the Room issue worked out I will," Harry said evasively. He didn't want to hide things like this anymore, but at the moment there were too many potential disasters waiting to happen. Harry had to anticipate any additional potential problems and take measures to avoid them. Deciding to change the subject, Harry told them to finish dinner and come to the Common Room to practice Occlumency before the party.

. Harry and Ginny decided to go shopping, saying that they were going to buy Christmas presents for their friends. That was only half true; they planned on picking up some Potions ingredients from the Apothecary for Harry's Animagus Potion and they wanted to do that alone.

They traveled under the Invisibility Cloak through the tunnel to Honeyduke's. Harry checked his map to make sure no one was following him, in addition to scanning the area with Legilimency probes. Content with his security, they arrived at the candy shop and exited after purchasing a variety of candy that they believed Ron would enjoy for Christmas.

The Apothecary's shop was at the edge of Hogsmeade and Harry learned that it was a chain of the shop in Diagon Alley that Harry had stolen a bezoar from. Harry told Ginny to wait outside while he made the purchases. Ginny questioned his logic, but then Harry cast Glamour Charms over himself and changed his hair color to Lupin's sandy brown, while elongating it into Sirius's graceful curls. "Apothecaries keep records of their sales, which someone like Dumbledore or Fudge could ask for. They may realize that I have bought the ingredients to the rare Animagus Potion…"

"Oh, that's pretty smart of you. You look better with your messy, black hair though," Ginny replied.

Harry smiled at her and then entered the shop. The elderly man who was at the counter looked at him and said, "What'd you want here?"

"Just a few ingredients for a potion of mine. Would you fetch me some Ground Dragon's claw, Hart-Tree's Ichor, Boomslang Skin, purified volcanic rock, Elderberry Seed, Primal Water, and Scion's Flower?"

The man looked at him wide-eyed. "And why the hell would ya be needing all of those ingredients? Mind you, Hart-Tree, Primal Water, and Scion's Flower are tremendously expensive. I've not had anyone buy any for years. Ya better not be wasting my time…"

Harry shrugged and pulled out his Bottomless Bag. "Name your price."

"Well, how much d'ya need of each, I only keep two vials of the Ichor, five flasks of the Primal Water. I don't have any live Scion's Flowers; those are extremely rare, most likely not found in Europe anymore. I have four dried flowers, will that do?"

Luckily Harry had memorized the quantities as well. He decided to play it safe and order twice as much as he actually needed so that if he messed up the first time he wouldn't have to come back. "Hmm, yes two vials of Ichor, three Primal Waters, and all four dried Scion's Flower. That should do. Also, I need one and a half jars of Boomslang Skin, one pound of Elderberry Seed, and three cups of ground Dragon Claw."

"I am required to record your purchases, please tell me your name," the old man asked.

"Can we forget the name? I can always ask this lovely bag to tip you heavily?" Harry asked not-so-subtly.

"S'not worth the risk, young man. It wouldn't be noticeable if a few pounds of Dragon's claw went missing, but-"

"Fine. John Andrews. Now what's the total price," Harry replied curtly.

"Hmm… 45,000 galleons, not a coin less." Seeing Harry's drop open, the man said, "I told you how rare Scion's Flower is, right? Well, there's approximately four Hart-Tree's in the U.K. They're large trees, but there is only a tiny vein of Ichor in the middle of the stem and branches. To harvest it, we have to cut of the branches and dissect them. If we tried to obtain it from the trunk of the tree, the tree would die. The tree can also change its color and the branch must be severed when the tree is white, otherwise the Ichor will be poisonous. Andrews, m'boy, we get our pure volcanic rock from Italy. Now Primal Water…"

"Okay, okay. _45,000 Galleons!_" Harry said to his bag, muttering about the price being more expensive than his broom. However, it did make sense that a potion that could give someone an extra Animagus form would be expensive. It was a good thing he was the Heir to both the Potter and Black fortunes…

"A pleasure doing business with, Mr. Andrews. Good luck with your forays into potions, I hope you know what you're doing… some of these ingredients are extremely volatile…" The man handed him the ingredients, which Harry put inside his bag, allowing him to carry them without using his hands.

Harry exited the shop, deciding to stroll the shops of Hogsmeade with Ginny for a bit and then meet up with his friends for lunch at the Three Broomsticks.

"Did you get it all?" Ginny asked eagerly.

Harry nodded and grabbed her arm, taking her to the main shopping street in Hogsmeade. They bought a few presents for various friends and family, but Harry saw nothing he wished to come back for later to purchase for Ginny. Harry wanted to get her something nice, but he was wary of her parents' reactions. He had come to an understanding with the two of them, even receiving their blessing to date their daughter, but he knew that buying expensive gifts would just make the Christmas atmosphere uncomfortable. Still, if there was something a bit pricey that he thought was perfect for Ginny, he wouldn't hesitate.

Before they knew it, it was lunch. The six of them found a table at the Three Broomsticks and began chatting lightly about their day. Just as they were getting settled in and placing their orders, Harry noticed a neat mass of red hair in the distance, behind a lime-green bowler hat.

"Shit."

"Excuse me?" Hermione asked in a hurt voice.

"No, no I wasn't saying in response to you… look over there," Harry hissed. The two figures were getting closer to the bar.

"Percy?" exclaimed Ron and Ginny simultaneously.

"And his boss…" observed Neville.

"Maybe they'll just pass by. How could they have known that we are here?" Harry asked.

Hermione frowned, her brain working hard. "Well… I saw Percy in Flourish & Botts today. He saw me, but I didn't talk to him or anything… I wasn't going to tell you guys, because I didn't want Ron to get angry and seek Percy out or something."

"Well, we'll figure that out later, because they're turning this way. It's too late to run for it… we'll just have to see what they want. If the situation gets ugly, everyone grab onto me and we'll go to Grimmauld Place."

"Mr. Potter! It is great to see you again. Percival here wished to have a word with his siblings, perhaps we could give them a moment alone?" Fudge said jovially.

Harry glanced at Percy, who seemed surprised at Fudge's proclamation that he wanted to talk with his siblings. "Fine." Harry smirked at Percy. "Ron's overjoyed to see you."

"Perhaps we should come with you--"

"I'll be fine, Hermione."

Fudge strolled over to a table far away. "Harry m'boy--"

"Cut the nonsense, Fudge. You have five minutes of my time to say what you want. Look, I don't like you at all; I very much think that the world would be better off if you were put in Azkaban. I know you don't like me, so I don't want to here this "m'boy" nonsense."

Fudge turned red, his knuckles white upon the table. "You need to learn to respect your elders…"

Harry laughed. "You're an idiot, Fudge. Now get to the point, as you obviously need something from me, and if you are upfront about it, I am more likely to cooperate."

"Very well then. Harry, it is my belief that the Wizarding World would benefit if you would give the appearance that you are working with the Ministry to capture Death Eaters and help win the war-"

"Where was the Ministry during the attacks? Where was the Ministry LAST YEAR? I don't care if I get the credit for capturing Death Eaters, but I sure as hell won't let a spineless bastard like yourself take advantage of battles in which my friends almost died in. Innocents are dying and you are to blame," Harry said angrily.

"Harry, you must understand! The Wizarding World needs to know that we have the Chosen One on our side! They need to trust the Ministry, and your actions must add to that trust, not take away from it!" Fudge said, the lines in his forehead rippling in frustration. "It is your civic duty."

"Drop this 'for the good of the Wizarding World' nonsense. It isn't my civic duty to help the government lie to it's people. I don't owe our country anything, except the middle finger for all the shit they gave me last year. It's my civic duty to alternate between being society's pariah and then their hero?" Harry took a deep breath and calmed himself, forcing his mind to think pragmatically instead of idealistically. "If you want something from me, you will have to give me something of equal value. You're only interested in your reputation. I'm only interested in winning the war and living the way I want to live. Now if you are a help to me, I may consider helping you…"

"Excellent, Harry, I knew we could come to an understanding. Now, I believe it is your desire to become an Auror? If you could be seen coming to the Ministry occasionally, I can arrange for our Aurors to give you professional training. In return, I simply ask that you tell the press you are working with the Ministry to take down You-Know-Who. That won't even be a lie, will it? You can work with our top Aurors!"

Harry snorted. "I can take down your best Auror already. What I want is Apparation Licenses and Under-Age Magic waivers for my five friends and I. Also, I want you to double the size of the Auror Department and multiply its funding. Lastly, I want you to start a project to remodel Azkaban. I want the project to be headed by Alastor Moody and you will spare no expense in making it secure. In return, I will give one press conference, where I will say that I am working with the Ministry. I will say that the Ministry did play a role in the capture of the Death Eaters currently in Azkaban. I will also praise _your_ decision to remodel Azkaban. Then there is one more item. I want YOU to give the media the honest truth about the many injustices done to Sirius Black. I don't care if you give him a medal or two posthumously, but the world will know that he was a good man, who died fighting for the good of the wizarding world. The more… convincing your report about Sirius's innocence is, the more convincing I will be in my speech promoting you. Those are my terms and I will not negotiate."

Fudge seemed to be thinking it over, his hand rubbing his pudgy chin. Suddenly, his eyes lit up. "In addition to that, I need you to state that Voldemort was not _fully_ alive during the past year and that the first time he was truly alive was during the fight at the Ministry. That way, neither I nor you would have been lying last year."

"Forget it, I would never do that. Unlike you, I have integrity," Harry snarled, holding up his hand that had the words _I will not tell lies_.

"But Harry, if you could just add that it was reasonable of me to believe that you-"

"No. That's not an option. I suggest you either agree to my terms or stop wasting my time," said Harry coldly, his face frozen in an expression of determination. "You created this god-awful mess with your pigheaded, closed mind. I said I'll help you, not bail you out completely. The only way to truly clean up the mess you have made is to dedicate yourself to the betterment of the Wizarding World. My little speech will help you in the short-term and give you some time, but ultimately, being a decent, intelligent human being is what will give you long-term success. You see, Minister, the truth has a nasty way of making itself known, no matter how hard one tries to bury it with lies. Now, if you had been telling the truth last year, then everyone would respect you as a dedicated Minister with integrity."

Fudge sighed heavily, thinking about the Potter boy's terms. "Fine. I shall give you and your friends your licenses and waivers. After you speak to the press, I shall get started on the other two tasks, as long as you make it clear-"

"And Sirius Black's innocence," Harry said firmly.

"Yes…yes… after this meeting I will schedule the appointment, consider it done. As I was saying, you will make it clear that--"

"That you are a competent, skilled Minister; got it. Your approval rating will soar. However, IF you even think about twisting my words or backstabbing me, I will make your approval rating plummet. Do you realize that there are dozens of people out there, that given a vial of Veritaserum, who knows what they'd say… As long as you keep me in a good mood, stick to the deal, and refrain from taking bribes from Death Eaters, you will still be Minister. Do you understand?"

Harry employed Legilimency, searching the man's mind for any schemes. Harry found evidence of blatant corruption, of course, but Fudge was _predictably_ corrupt. You could always trust him to do anything for his own well-being and to do anything to save his own skin. As long as his 'skin' was in danger, Harry knew the Minister wouldn't try to double-cross him. The man wanted Harry to be the Ministry's poster boy, not to alienate him like last year.

"Y-yes, I believe I do. A pleasure speaking with you, Harry. I shall see you at this same location on Saturday. Perhaps in the future we can come to a similar agreement?"

"If you can help me with something, I'll help you. Mr. Fudge. If you change your ways and truly desire to be a good Minister, I will be happy to offer my advice."

Harry strode back over to the table in which his friends were sitting, mixed emotions running through his mind. On one hand, he had successfully negotiated with the Minister of Magic and gotten his way, but on the other hand, he had sold himself out. He had agreed to go against his beliefs for a reward, just like the Minister had planned. Of course, he did get what he wanted, but was the price worth it? Was _praising_ that invertebrate in front of someone like Rita Skeeter worth it? Harry sighed; he just didn't know; he had to do what was best for the small group of people he cared about, but he just had a nasty feeling about this whole deal.

Harry noticed that Percy was no longer there. "What happened?"

"Bloody git… tells me that Fudge has important business to discuss with you and I should keep my nose out. Apparently Weatherby has been stationed at Hogsmeade on "Boy-Who-Lived lookout duty". As soon as he saw Hermione, he called Fudge and followed her from a distance. As soon as we started talking, he Apparated away. Bloody, sodding flobberworm! We told him that Mum looks at his hand on the Clock and prays for him every night, and what does he do? He runs away like he's too good to be seen with us."

"Was it that bad?" Harry asked Ginny. Ginny gave a slight nod. "Well, I'm sorry Ron, I wish there was something we could do. Hmm…"

"What are you thinking, Harry?" Hermione asked.

"Nothing, really. I was fantasizing about having Fudge sack Percy," Harry replied smirking. "But that wouldn't help."

"Yeah, Percy's beyond saving. I always knew he was different, but I never could have imagined that problem would grow his big," Ginny said sadly.

"I always knew he was a right bastard," Ron said angrily. "There's no way in hell I'm related to that inflated windbag."

Harry didn't know what to say, so he just pulled Ginny into a hug. "Well, we should probably be getting back to Hogwarts. We forgot to work out in the morning, we had better do that now."

"Wait, what did Fudge want?" Ginny asked.

"He just wanted me to keep his arse from being fired… He wants me to give an interview that puts him in good light and he wants to be seen 'working together' with the Ministry," Harry replied carefully.

"Ha! Bet you told him to shove it, right? I wish I was there, his face probably turned so red…" Ron exclaimed. "I mean, after all he did last year… I bet you told him to go to hell… right?"

Hermione looked at Harry piercingly, causing Ron to trail off.

Harry sighed. "I agreed. Let me explain… he was willing to give me something in return, and it pays to have on our side. He's a pathetic, selfish, sorry excuse for a Minister, but he is still the Minister. I'm still underage, meaning I'm a step above 'House-Elf' as far as my rights go. If I can get Fudge give us adult status, it gives me more leverage over Dumbledore." Harry held out the Apparition Licenses and Under-Age Magic Waivers. "I need to be able to Apparate and you lot needs to be able to cast spells. Also, Fudge will fund the rebuilding of Azkaban and double the funds and size of the Auror Department. Plus, I have a feeling that Dumbledore may try to exploit the fact that I have no guardian since Sirius died. I don't think Dumbledore will go that far, but if he does, it can't hurt to have the Minister on my side. Also, the Minister will tell the truth about Sirius. That means something to me… I can't stand it when I hear people saying that the mass-murderer is dead."

"But… don't you think it will be better for the Wizarding World if Fudge gets the vote of no confidence?" Hermione asked. Harry could tell she did not approve of his actions, but she was hiding it.

"Look, if Fudge gets removed, the next Minister MAY be better, but it's likely they will be worse. What if Umbridge were to get it?" Harry said sharply. "Fudge is predictable… at the very least, we know he isn't a Death Eater. At the very least, we know how to motivate him."

"You realize the Order will be really, really angry?" Ron said. "Dad probably won't be thrilled either, he was pretty excited when we thought Fudge would get the boot."

"I'm sorry if this angers your parents. As for the Order, if they were a force that was fit to protect the world from Voldemort, I would care what they thought. Voldemort has over one hundred Death Eaters, all of which can cast the Killing Curse. The Order has a handful of skilled fighters. Don't get me wrong, the Order has some people I really love in it, like Mrs. Weasley, but the Order isn't going to win the war. The reason the Order is losing the war is not just because of Fudge. Even if Mr. Weasley or someone was to be made Minister, I still don't think the war would swing in the Order's favor. The only thing that will stop Voldemort's army is thinning his ranks quicker than he bolsters them or bolstering our ranks by heavy recruitment of _anyone_ who can fight, old or young." Harry's voice was firm but passionate. He couldn't say that the statements he just made were running through his mind while he talked with Fudge, but now that he was analyzing the situation, he thought his decision was a fairly sound one. "Voldemort's ranks are swelling, but the Order's are not. Either the Order needs to increase in size and power, or they need to get serious about the whole war and start decreasing Voldemort's ranks."

The friends were silent for a bit, taking in Harry's strong statements. Finally Luna replied, "You think that the six of us will make more of a difference in the war than the Order." It was some sort of cross between a statement and a question.

"Yeah, I do. I think you five are powerful, intelligent, and trustworthy, which is more than I can say for the majority of the Order. I'm very touched that you are agreeing to go through this rigorous training business so that you can be there for me in the war. If the Order wants to work with us that would be the best scenario. If they want to be secretive and manipulative, then I'm going to be a force independent of the Order. Fudge can help with that."

"That makes sense, I suppose," said Ginny.

"You suppose?"

"Well, how praising do you plan to be in your interview? I mean, you're not going to… sell yourself out, are you?"

Harry sighed. "I'm going to have to, Ginny. I know it's un-Gryffindor of me, but there's a reason why the Slytherins generally rise up in the world of politics. I'll try to be as honest as I can, but the fact of the matter is that I have to raise Fudge's approval rating. In the future, it is likely that I will need something from him. Ginny, are you okay with this?"

"Yeah, I guess," she said..

"You guess?"

"Yes, Harry, I'm okay with it."

Harry wasn't sure why he cared whether she was okay with him selling out. He certainly wasn't concerned about what Dumbledore or even his friends would say. "Well, let's get back to Hogwarts. We missed our morning workout, so we'll just have to do it now," Harry said, ignoring their groans and leading them out of the Three Broomsticks. "This evening we're going to head to Grimmauld Place and get Lupin to teach us how to Apparate."

"Wicked!" Ron said and the rest of the group seemed to agree.

"But then we have to practice Occlumency, don't forget. You all can do it individually before you go to bed if you want," Harry reminded.

"Slavedriver…" muttered Ginny, rolling her eyes but smirking to let Harry know she wasn't being serious.

Harry walked back to Hogwarts with his friends, hoping that whatever happened, they would always walk as a group.

_A/N: Okay, that was chapter ten. A significant amount of time didn't pass, but the issues Harry deals with in this chapter are going to be very important in the future._

_If you don't like H/G, I'm sorry about the H/G scenes in this chapter, and the next couple chapters will be fluff-free. In general, this story doesn't focus on romance, really. _

_Review if you have got a moment… I say this every chapter, but knowing what my readers are thinking really helps, not because it will make me change the plot, but because it lets me know if my characterizations are right. So… tell me what you think. _


	11. Chapter 11: The Chosen One Speaks Again

**Chapter Eleven: The Chosen One Speaks Out Again**

Later in the day, Harry led his friends to the deserted bathroom on the third floor, remembering to test the area with Legilimency probes. Using his Black Family Key, he transported his friends to Grimmauld Place. He figured that since it was a Hogsmeade weekend, they could probably just Floo back to Hogsmeade and walk to Hogwarts.

"Harry, what are you doing here?" Mrs. Weasley asked sharply.

_Shit!_ how could he have forgotten than Lupin and Tonks were not the only inhabitants of Grimmauld Place. It was all he could do not the slap his palm against his forehead. "Umm… I just had to talk to Lupin about something and uh… I just wanted to see my favorite mother figure? And uh… Ron and Ginny wanted to see you too; they couldn't write letters because they didn't want them to get intercepted."

"Oh Harry! You're so sweet," said Mrs. Weasley, moving to give him a hug. However she stopped and her face became strict, just as Harry was beginning to think she had bought his explanation. "And you're a terrible liar… now what possessed you six to leave Hogwarts? Did Dumbledore give you permission — oh, of course he didn't…"

Harry looked at the blank faces of his companions and realized he would have to think something up. "Umm… Lupin's been giving us training ideas, like the Patronus Charm and stuff like that, nothing harmful or illegal. We have a question about one of the spells, and we wanted to ask him in person so he could gauge our progress. Plus, he was our favorite professor; it would be nice to talk to him…"

"I suppose that's the best answer I will get? Lupin and Tonks are having dinner now. It is nice to see you; hello Neville and Luna."

"Hello, Mrs. Weasley," the two teens said respectfully.

"Wotcher guys and girls," Tonks said, entering the room followed by Lupin.

"Hey Lupin, wotcher Tonks. We've come to discuss uh… training. Let's head to the basement," Harry said, giving Lupin an 'I will explain later' look.

Lupin nodded, and led them to the dark, cold basement of Grimmauld Place. Harry chose the location because it had plenty of room.

"So what's up? I'm guessing it's important since you risked leaving Hogwarts," Lupin asked curiously.

"Well, we need to learn how to Apparate as quickly as possible so that we can come here regularly to work on our magical and physical training. Not to mention Apparating is useful for getting out of sticky situations…" Harry explained.

"You do realize that the Ministry will be drawn to you like flies on dung if you Apparate…"

"Interesting expression there, Tonks, but I have found away around that little snag." Harry held up the waivers. "This goes in the category of things not to reveal, okay?"

"I'm impressed. Okay then, I'll just go ahead and explain Apparition the way I was taught. Then, I'll explain what your body and magic actually does when you move from place to place, that may help some of you get it quicker. Now, the three D's are…"

Two hours later, no one could Apparate, but they felt they were getting closer. It was only a matter of using your magic to cause your body to shift locations and the hardest part was getting your mind to make it happen. The mind had to have a strong mental image of the body disappearing and re-appearing in a different location. The difficult part was applying that mental image to the body and powering the Apparition with the mind.

"Well, you six should be getting back to Hogwarts now, we can work on it later," Lupin said. "Harry can I ask you a question really quick… alone?"

Harry nodded and his friends reluctantly left the room.

"Harry, I know that you have some other method of transportation that you used at Longbottom's house. You don't have to tell me how exactly you did it, but if you're able to transport yourself somehow, why do you need to learn Apparition?" Lupin asked curiously.

"Well, because Hogwarts is a highly magical, almost sentient castle that responds to Dumbledore. Not to mention he's tried having me tailed by Order members…" Harry muttered.

"Huh? He never mentioned anything about having you watched in the meetings. Who was it?"

"Kingsley… under an invisibility cloak. But the point is that there's nowhere in Hogwarts where I feel safe enough to use my alternate form of transportation without Dumbledore finding out. I have to keep it varied; the more tools I have in my shed, the better."

"You realize that he will not allow you to Apparate away from his school regularly, don't you?"

"Yeah, he probably will find out, but the fact of the matter is that he can only try to stop us from leaving Hogwarts, not Apparating after we have left Hogwarts. Plus, I plan to use to the Key to transport us here and use Apparition to get us back to Hogsmeade, and then return to Hogwarts by the secret passage."

Lupin sighed. "Well, just be prepared for a confrontation, okay? Dumbledore is convinced that you are a _student_ and that you must follow student rules. Honestly, there is a bit of truth to his logic. I do believe he is fully devoted to the defeat of Voldemort, but sometimes I wonder if he has had too much power for too long. Now I know you absolutely will not conform and play the role he wants you to play, but try to deflate and avoid conflicts, okay?"

"Yeah, that's probably good advice. I'll try to keep as low a profile as possible," Harry replied, mulling Lupin's words in his mind. "Well, when we 'came to a compromise' he broke it immediately by having me spied on. Although I broke it too by leaving Hogwarts…"

"Harry, just try to get through the term as quietly as possible while doing as much training as you feel you need, that's the best you can do. Hopefully the issue will resolve itself."

"Do you have any idea why the Room of Requirement is blocked?" Harry asked.

"No, the Room isn't on the Marauder's Map because we never discovered it. I'm guessing that you should ask Dumbledore about it… wait I have an idea!"

"Yeah?"

"Well, can you access the room by your uh… secret travel mode? I think you should tell me what it is first. There's a chance that the magic surrounding the room could react badly and you could be hurt," Lupin said.

"Okay, are you an Occlumens?" Harry asked.

"I am a decent Occlumens. Not as good as Snape, but I know the basics. I am good enough that eye contact would be required for someone like Snape to get inside my mind, and even then, it would be straining for him to enter," Lupin replied.

"Well, if Tonks isn't an Occlumens, I don't want you to tell her, okay? It's an important skill to have, so you might as well teach her if she isn't. Okay… I'm a Phoenix Animagus and I can Flame to different locations."

"Wow, I don't believe it - that's supposed to be impossible - can you show me?" Lupin asked excitedly in one breath.

Harry lazily transformed into his brilliant fiery phoenix with green eyes and a small, jagged red line on his head. He Flamed behind Lupin and then flew back to his previous location and transformed back into a human.

"Amazing! I'm not going to even ask how you managed to accomplish this feat… Oh yes, about the Room of Requirement, I really don't know. It should be possible for you to Flame inside, but if Dumbledore blocked it off… it may be completely shut off. The Room is obviously very powerful, so if it is told to make sure _nothing_ can get in, it may not allow you to enter. It may only brush you aside, but it could trap you in the fiery vortex or something like that. I don't really think it's worth the risk. Maybe you should just ask Dumbledore about it and possibly bargain for it. If you tell him that the Room of Requirement would stop you from having to leave school grounds every day…"

"Yeah, that's a possibility. I'm glad I talked to you, Moony, you're full of good ideas," Harry said sincerely.

"Well, see you soon, Harry. I'll think about the problems and see if I can come up with something. You stay out of trouble, okay?"

Harry chuckled and then left to join his friends.

The next morning, after finishing his daily exercise, the sixth year Gryffindors' journeyed to Potions with Slughorn. Harry didn't enjoy Potions at all, but it was bearable. Slughorn was a better teacher than Snape, and when Harry put his mind to it, he was a decent Potion maker. The problem was that Slughorn seemed determined to have Harry in his Slug Club, offering not-so-subtly to further Harry's career if he could only attend a few meetings. If Harry had nothing to do during his evenings, he would consider it and give Slughorn a chance. Hermione had been going to his weekly meetings and she said they weren't too bad, but something about Slughorn seemed a bit off. Harry supposed that Slughorn was manipulative in his own way; he only helped students who he thought could eventually help him in some way. Harry, being the Chosen One, would no doubt be his ace of his card collection.

Harry sighed; the fact of the matter was that Slughorn was only interested in him because he was the Boy Who Lived and Harry never appreciated it when people did that.

What Harry was anxious about, however, was the upcoming DADA class. This would be the first time since his stay in the Hospital Wing that he would see Snape and Harry had no idea how the man would act. While Snape had been the one to give him the information about the attack and heal him, Harry didn't want to assume that Snape would be civil. For all Harry knew, Snape would be mad that he disobeyed his letter and left Hogwarts. Snape had been the one to tell Harry to leave Hogwarts in the first place, but then Snape left him a note that told him to stay at Hogwarts. What if Harry had endangered Snape's life by thwarting the attack on Longbottom?

There was simply no way to predict how Snape would act today in class. All Harry knew was that he didn't have enough information about the whole situation and he hoped Snape would give some explanations.

Not to mention there was the lingering fact that Snape's information had been incorrect to a certain degree. Did Snape know about the plot to trap the Order in Bones's Residence? From the letter, it sounded like Snape truly thought the information he had was correct, but how could Harry know that Snape wasn't misinforming the Order? From Snape's words, Harry guessed that Voldemort purposely told Snape incomplete or incorrect information and Snape believed the information was correct.

However, Harry had no way of finding out where Snape's loyalties lay. Dumbledore supposedly had some concrete reason for trusting the spy, but Harry needed his own proof; the headmaster's judgment could be severely lacking, especially when that judgment involved other people. It wasn't that Harry was sure Snape was working for Voldemort or anything… Harry just wished he could sit Snape down with a nice big vial of Veritaserum and talk it all out.

"Potter! Please turn in the previously due essays on the Patronus Theory and Attributes of Dementors! I am aware that your _right_ arm wasn't damaged, so I expect that you kept up with your class work?" Snape said coolly when Harry entered the room. It wasn't a sneer, but Harry knew that Snape would definitely subtract a fair number of points from Gryffindor if he didn't have his two essays completed.

Luckily, Harry had been bored out of his mind in the Hospital Wing, so he had completed his essays. He found the two that Snape had assigned rather trivial, since he was already somewhat of an expert on the topic. "I did, Professor," Harry said curtly, depositing two scrolls on his professor's desk. Snape glanced at them, as if trying to find fault with their length, but much to his dismay, Harry's essay was the specified length and in neat handwriting.

"Very well then. Normally I would not have a class of bumbling sixth years practice the Patronus, but it is necessary, seeing as to how Dementors are now serving the side of evil. Now then, who can describe the effect of Dementors in a sentence that is not directly taken from your textbooks?" Snape shot a smirk at Hermione, whose hand was the first in the air.

"Weasley!" Snape called loudly.

"Well, Dementors make you relive your worst memories and the area around gets cold. Oh yeah, if they kiss you, they suck out your souls."

"Weasley, if you plan to quote your textbook, at least quote it correctly! I apologize for not making myself clear; what exactly do Dementors do that _causes_ those tell-tale effects? To combat Dementors, you must understand what exactly you are combating," Snape said sharply.

While it was clear that Snape was still trying to ridicule Gryffindors as much as possible, Harry accepted the fact that Snape knew more about Dementors than he did. Harry didn't know the answer to Snape's question, but the Half-Blood Prince, whoever the blazes he was, had studied the nature of Dementors extensively in an attempt to harness the power of a Dementor with a curse. The Half-Blood Prince had failed, writing that Dementors are not just composed of raw dark magic; they are composed of highly dense, anti-magical energy that humans cannot copy.

Not that Harry was going to repeat the Half-Blood Prince's theories to Snape; he didn't want Snape to think that Harry was some sort of Voldemort-in-training. Harry decided to find a middle ground between the standard textbook and the _Tome of Shadows_.

"Sir, Dementors are made of a type of dark magical energy that consumed nearby energy, which is mainly emotions, magic, and thought. As they suck the magic out of an area, a person's ability to use magic or hold on to a happy thought diminishes. They have a very dense core of dark magic inside of their bodies and cloaks. When they administer the Dementor's Kiss, their mouth acts like a portal to their core, which is powerful enough to separate the soul from the body. The soul adds to the Dementor's core, thus making them more powerful with every kiss."

Snape stood gobsmacked for a few seconds, before breaking out into a frown. "Yes, that is… reasonable description of a Dementor's power. Class! Why aren't you writing this down! You will need to understand how Dementors work if you wish to combat them!" After yelling at the class, Snape eyed Harry strangely. "You have apparently done some research on this subject outside of my class," he stated plainly.

"Yes, during my third year, Lupin taught me how Dementors work. He is quite knowledgeable on the subject, having dedicated a fair portion of his life to studying defensive magic," Harry lied smoothly, not missing a beat. "A shame someone got him sacked, seeing as to how he was perhaps the best Defense-"

"Enough!" Snape spat. He then turned to the rest of the class and adopted a loud voice. "I expect all of you to re-write your Patronus Charm essays, incorporating the topics we discussed today. I suggest you actually use your brains this time, instead of blindly copying your textbooks. Class dismissed. I look forward to seeing you duel on Halloween, or try to duel… Please sign this list if you wish to enter. I will construct the ladder, but you will not find out who your opponents are until the duel itself on October 31st. Remember, if you sign up, you must carry through with the duel. Rules will be announced on Halloween."

Harry thought about confronting Snape and asking a few questions, but Snape stalked out of the classroom. Harry shrugged, signed the tournament list, and decided to go to his next class, Charms with Hufflepuff. Harry noticed that Ron, Neville, and Hermione had also signed up. It was a definite possibility that his group of friends would make it to the final rungs of the competition and have to duel each other.

"Harry…" Hermione began as soon as they left the classroom. "I didn't know you knew so much about Dementors…"

Harry groaned, muttering something about the size of Hermione's nose.

"What was that, Harry?"

"I said, I asked Lupin about them this summer. I had a dream in which the Death Nibblers were freed from Azkaban and Voldemort talked about his "Army of Darkness", so I made sure to learn as much as I could about all of the various dark creatures," Harry replied amicably.

"Oh… well, I researched Dementors too, but I didn't find anything like that."

"Well, Lupin has been at it for years. So, all we had for Charms homework was the six inches on the Banish Charm, right? Or did I forget something?"

"No, you've got it all covered."

After a normal Charms class, the sixth year friends headed out to Hagrid's hut for Care of Magical Creatures. Harry zoned out while Hagrid lectured about Wyverns, figuring that if there were rumored to be extinct, there was no use for the knowledge of how to pacify them or treat their venom. Still, Harry did his best to seem attentive for Hagrid's sake. Sometimes, Hagrid did come up with some useful animals to study, such as the Hippogriffs.

Harry decided to speak with the Hippogriffs after the class. However he had to be discreet about it because he didn't want anyone to find out of his ability to mentally communicate with creatures of the air.

Harry decided to visit Hagrid after the lesson for two reasons. It would allow him to find out where the Hippogriffs were and he had forgotten about Hagrid this year. True, taking Hagrid's class in the first place had made the half-giant thrilled, but Harry felt a bit guilty for not making any trips to Hagrid's hut.

Harry told his friends he would catch up with them later and he entered the hut. "Hello, Hagrid."

"Why hello there, 'Arry. Good ter see ya in my class this year. Wasn't sure ya'd have the time for it, what with this bein' yer N.E.W.T. year an' all. Ye keeping yerself well? Havin' a good year and all 'at?" Hagrid asked, plonking a cup of tea and a square of fudge in front of Harry.

Harry made the mistake of absently chomping on Hagrid's fudge. "Yeah…" Harry forced his teeth open, taking a gulp on tea to remove the mortar that was coating his teeth. "I'm a bit busy this year, but it's nice to get outdoors once in a while. The lesson on Hippogriffs was brilliant by the way."

"Glad ya thought so… although ya never did tell me what happened that day. Ya right disappeared on us, Harry! Gave me a fright…"

"Oh uh… well I just realized that Buckbeak was stuck in Grimmauld Place when I saw Thunderwing. I was afraid that Buckbeak would be, I don't know… starving or something." Harry attempted to redirect the conversation by adding. "Beautiful bird, Buckbeak. Which one do you like more?"

"Oh… ye'll not be wantin' ter answer that question in the presence of those two. Buckbeak's always been my little Beaky though; I reckon' if I had to choose…"

"Are they… uh, together?" Harry asked.

"I think so, Harry. I dunno too much about Hippogriff mating rituals or whatnot myself, because I've never seen two Hippogriffs at it. I wouldn't be surprised though. I wouldn't recommen' ya seeing them now, although ya do have er… way with 'em. They're on the east side of the Black Lake, near the area in between the trees and rocks. I'd better be warnin' people not to go their; Hippogriffs can be very defensive of their territory."

"Oh okay. Well, it was nice catching up with you, Hagrid. I should be getting back soon…"

"Now ya keep yerself outta trouble and come 'round anytime ya feel like it, ya hear?" Hagrid asked kindly.

"Sure thing. Good bye."

Harry exited the hut and meander around the lake. He arrived in the Hippogriff's territory and scanned the horizon. _Thunderwing? Buckbeak? Are you there?_ Harry called out mentally.

The two hippogriffs came out of the trees. _Hello, Harry. It is nice to see you again._

_So are you two happy here?_

_Very much so, Harry. We have you to thank for that._ Thunderwing's deep voice sounded inside of Harry's head.

_Yes, Harry. I was wondering though, could you show us your phoenix form? I am very curious._

Harry nodded, pulled out his Marauder's Map to make sure no one was in the vicinity, and transformed into his phoenix.

_That is impressive, young one. You look just like a phoenix, except for the green eyes instead of orbs of fire. I daresay you could outfly me!_

_Thank you,_ Harry replied.

_Can you transform into any other animals?_ Buckbeak asked.

_Yeah, a stag and a lion. Say, aren't hippogriffs part lion or something?_

_Well, hippogriffs are a mix of a griffin and a horse. A griffin is born of a lion and eagle, so you could say that a hippogriff is part lion. Now, there's another type of rare creature called a peryton that is a mix between a stag and eagle--_

_No, it's raven and stag,_ Buckbeak corrected.

_That is not so, a peryton is born of a stag and eagle. I have seen one with my own eyes._

Buckbeak gave an undignified snort. _Thunderwing, they have not been seen since the fall of Rome! They are rumored to be extinct._

_And how do you know this?_

_OKAY! Can we argue about this later, I'm more interested in learning about difference between Griffins and Hippogriffs._ Harry shook his head at the arguing hippogriffs.

_Well, I was pointing out that you have an affinity with creatures of the earth and the air. That's why I decided to make my point about perytons… anyway, from what I can see, you have a personality that would be compatible with a hippogriff, Harry._

_Really? You mean I may be able to transform into one?_

_That I cannot say. But you have the characteristics of a hippogriff, Harry. You have a fierce pride and a loyal heart. You have a strong determination. You can be fierce like a lion, graceful like an eagle, and enduring like a horse. The transformation will be incredibly complicated, but it is a possibility. You have proven yourself up to the task of mastering animals of the ground and air; perhaps you can put the two together._

_Wow, that would be really cool! Thanks, Thunderwing. Thanks, Buckbeak. I'll go make that potion now and see if it's a possibility. Can I come back here to work on my transformation? I think your advice may help along the way,_ Harry asked enthusiastically.

_Why yes, Harry. You are always welcome here._

_Thanks, that means a lot to me._

_Remember Harry, we Hippogriffs are proud creatures, but we are good natured too. You consider us equals instead of lower beasts. That is what means a lot to us. Good luck with your task._

After dinner, an excited Harry Potter led his friends to Grimmauld Place, using his key. The deserted bathroom has proved to be a good exit point because unless Dumbledore found a way to disguise his presence from the Marauder's Map, the area truly was deserted.

After an Apparition training session with Lupin and a Martial Arts work out with Tonks, it was nearly ten o'clock in the night, so Harry decided to take them back by using the Floo to Hogsmeade and traveling to their school using the secret tunnels. It was a bit tedious, but until the group could Apparate there was no other choice. When they could Apparate, they could Apparate right where the tunnel began.

The best solution, of course, would be to find a way into the Room of Requirement, but Harry wasn't willing to risk flaming into the room. Phoenixes were supposed to be able to flame _anywhere_, but if the Room wanted to be completely impenetrable, then it was possible that there could be harmful side effects for those who tried to force an entry. It was unlikely to be the case, but Harry was adopting a 'better safe than sorry' attitude.

The truth of the matter was that he needed Dumbledore to tell him what was happening. However, that would involve the Headmaster interrogating him as well and perhaps scolding him about forcing Kingsley to discontinue his spying. Of course, knowing Dumbledore, it would sound like, "Harry, I am only concerned about your safety. I must recommend that you take your safety more seriously…"

Harry decided to put off his conversation, or negotiations, with the Headmaster for as long as he could. Gathering up his magically shrunk bag of expensive potion ingredients, Harry began to walk under his cloak to Ginny's dorm, where the two of them planned to key to Potter Manor and work on the potion.

Harry, under his cloak in the girl's dormitory, concentrated on Ginny's head and used his Legilimency to give her a quick message. It used a lot of concentration to do that, but it was useful for times like this.

After Ginny and Harry had walked far enough that they were alone, Harry pulled her close, wrapped the cloak around them, and took them to Potter Manor's potion lab. He careful set out the ingredients in front of the large pewter cauldron and opened the _Tome of Shadows_ to the section on advanced potions. In messy, scribbled handwriting there was a series of instructions.

Harry and Ginny read them over and over until they had them memorized. Harry decided that he would do the actual brewing while Ginny read the instructions to him and watched him to make sure he didn't mess up. The scribbled instructions were very complicated, but they were written in a way that Harry could understand, unlike the droll of a textbook.

Harry poured the Primal Water into the cauldron and added the dragon's claw and boomslang skin, which he had shred into many thin strips. In a separate cauldron, Harry boiled the Hart-Tree ichor, making a foul smelling reduction consisting of burnt red goop. He left that to harden overnight, while placing the elderberry seed into the other cauldron and stiring counterclockwise.

"Okay, now you need to slice the stem off of the Scion's flower with an ivory knife. Don't use the silver one, remember! Okay now push the flower against the counter and slice it's petals into small circles."

Harry did so. "Now what?"

"You place the petals into the first cauldron and you make small incisions into the stem using the ivory knife. Don't stop stirring the first cauldron! Okay now as soon as the stem begins to exude some sort of amethyst mist, you have to add it to the cauldron and begin to stir with a golden rod, two times clockwise and once counterclockwise. That would be now, Harry! Hurry!"

Harry hastened to follow instructions, working quickly and praying he didn't mess up too badly. "It's a light blue color now, with swirls of green and purple, is that okay?"

"Hmm, cerulean with lime ribbons and violet lace? Yeah, I suppose that our color is what is being described. Keep stirring. Say, you never did tell me who wrote this book…" Ginny muttered.

"It's not important, I just found it at Potter Manor. Don't lose the page!" Harry had handed the book to her already opened, and he would rather not have her look through the section on dark rituals or lethal curses.

"Hmm… it looks handwritten. Whoever wrote it must have been a prodigy at potions. Wow, on the next page there's a potion to completely destroy someone's Occlumency shields for twenty four hours!"

"Okay, it's giving of yellow-orange fumes, what do I do now?" Harry asked quickly.

"It says you have to add the fine volcanic rock powder at a very slow rate, over the course of a minute. Use the funnel, but keep your head away from the potion, because if there were any impurities in the rock, they will melt and spew forth."

"Oh lovely…" Harry muttered. Harry charmed his funnel to be positioned above the cauldron and gently poured the fine, volcanic power into the funnel. He backed away and watched the grains slowly trickle into the cauldron. "Now what?"

"Now we wait all night for the sludge to become solid. Then we scrape it out into the first cauldron and stir it until its one homogenous, whatever the hell that means, liquid," Ginny replied.

"Oh, will the first cauldron be okay overnight?" Harry asked.

"Yeah, the books specifies that you should not cover it with anything."

"Well, this potion better be worth it…" Harry muttered as he extracted the book from Ginny's hand without showing her the cover.

The next morning Harry was in a good mood. He only had one Transfiguration class, then he had the rest of the Tuesday off, due to the fact that he only signed up for five classes. Five was the bare minimum; even Malfoy had been doing around six or seven. Hermione, of course, was taking nine. However, in Harry's mind, it was fine to take a class if you were taking it to learn, but there was no point in taking a class solely for the recognition and transcript. He couldn't care less what the Ministry thought of his grades. What he wanted to learn was how to survive and how to fight, so he only signed up for classes that would help him with just that.

He would really only have taken DADA, Transfiguration, and possibly Charms if he thought he could get away with it. He could have then spent his days learning how to fight Voldemort instead of writing essays. Five classes were reasonable; he got time every day to work out and practice magic. He was maintaining good grades in his classes, so he had really nothing to complain about. He was blessed with competent teachers this year, even if one of them constantly pestered him with ornate envelopes and another constantly caused him to be on edge.

Still, he felt that if he could only spend the amount of time he did over the summer training, he would be in much better shape right now. _Oh well,_ Harry thought, _I'm still getting better at everything, especially now that we are visiting Grimmauld Place once in a while. And when this summer comes, we can really bare down and work at it as a group._

The training had been good for his friends too, he realized. Ron had really filled out; he was tall and muscled instead of tall and lanky. When he started sparring, he had nearly no self-discipline and didn't fight with his head. He had a good right hook, but he didn't know when to rear back and let 'em have it or when a short snap kick would be twice as effective. Ron was a smart guy, despite what many people thought. When he was cool and calm, he could work out strategies and cleanly execute his strikes. Unfortunately, the battlefield was not the cool, calm atmosphere of the Common Room in which he played chess. Harry had spent a lot of time with him teaching him how to block out his emotions and keep his mind cool. The Occlumency had helped a lot. Ron was still prone to losing his control when provoked, but Harry was confident that before the year was out, Ron would be able to rival Harry in sparring. After all, Ron did have a few inches on him. Harry was pretty sure that he would always be better than Ron in a duel, but Ron was surely improving in that aspect too.

Neville, like Ron, had also filled out a bit. He had lost a fair bit of weight and developed a fair bit of muscle. He was still not nearly as built as Harry, but eventually he would get there and further. Neville had a determination; the type of determination that Harry could relate to; the type of determination that made sure that he never complained. When they first began their running, it was clear the Neville was the least in shape of the lot, but Neville gave it everything he had. Harry suspected that at the beginning, Neville was the only one to take it completely seriously. Because of that, he quickly caught up with the rest of his friends. Harry was proud of the shy boy; it was people like him who made this whole teaching thing worth his time. Neville truly wanted to learn, Harry could see it in his eyes. He was willing to make sacrifices and he wouldn't give up.

Neville also had a new wand that he got after his old wand snapped at the Ministry. His marks in his classes had risen substantially and that had done wonders for his self-esteem. He was still shy, but he was getting more and more confident. He had a long way to go, but Harry was determined to help him get there.

Ginny had put the most time into her training with Harry. Much to the displeasure of her mother, she dropped every class that wasn't necessary to a career as a Curse-Breaker or Auror. Her Animagus training had done wonders for her Transfiguration skill, while the dueling practice had made her the best DADA student in her year, despite having Snape as a teacher. Ginny also took her training seriously, both magical and physical. She knew that Harry would want to keep her out of danger while he risked his life, so she committed herself to the training with the thought that if she proved to be as good or better than Harry's other friends, he would have no excuse to hide her away.

Whatever baby fat she had was shed quickly, and her body was toned. She looked like a real woman now, and she loved it. She wondered if part of her new physique was due to the lioness inside of her. She had fast reflexes, almost as fast as Harry's. Her instincts were very sharp, they would tell her when a Bludger was approaching or when a spell was coming at her.

Physically, she was smaller than Harry or Hermione, so the Wing Chun was a bit of a challenge. However, she was slowly understanding how to generate force and strike hard and fast without having bulk. She was confident that by the end of the year, she would be able to hold her own against the others in her group, with the exception of Harry.

Hermione was more of a mystery to Harry. At the beginning, she had seemed very unenthusiastic about everything, except when it came to learning a new spell. She ended up lagging behind the others because of this. Suddenly, around the time of Harry's injury, she began to take things very seriously and she began to take the workouts seriously. Harry wasn't sure what sparked this change in attitude, but perhaps Hermione realized that he wasn't joking around. Perhaps she realized that if she didn't get with the program, Harry would leave her behind and keep her out of the war. Perhaps Ron talked some sense into her. Whatever it was, Hermione was working a lot harder now, showing the determination that she showed towards her classes. She was still a bit behind the rest of her friends as far as martial arts was concerned, but Harry believed that she could catch up if she kept focused and worked at it.

Harry didn't know exactly what to think about Luna. She was keeping up well with martial arts and was Ginny's constant sparring partner. She was pretty much average in most of the training they did, aside from Occlumency where she had a perfectly occluded mind. Harry used the term 'average' out of a lack for a better word; Luna couldn't be described as average. While her magical power was nothing special, her spell casting was very fluent, her wand sending seemingly unrelated spells at the opponent without pausing to think. Sometimes, Harry got the impression that she was masterfully using a pattern of spells for a certain effect, but at other times, Harry thought she was just using whatever popped into her mind. Still, she was more than a match for the average Death Eater and her unpredictability could work well if the six were working as a team.

Harry was overall very pleased with the progress of his friends. They each had fairly different styles, but Harry decided that was a good thing, as long they refined those styles so that they could handle any type of situation. Harry wished that they had more time to practice; his friends had a lot of potential that was going to waste writing essays. He was looking forward to the Halloween tournament, so he would be able to get a good measure of everyone's strengths and more importantly, weaknesses.

Every week, Lupin and Tonks would duel as a team against Harry's team. Lupin and Tonks worked very well together; Lupin was very observant and prudent, keeping Tonks and himself safe while Tonks used her honed aim and Auror prowess to target the teenagers. Without Harry, the five teenagers were evenly matched against the two adults. This gave Harry the chance to observe what his friends were doing right and wrong. Harry guessed that it also gave Tonks and Lupin a good workout.

Harry also had many variations that included himself so that he could get practice, but also so that his partners could learn to fight in different scenarios. Sometimes he conjured up obstacles and places to hide so that they could get learn how to use a specific battlefield to their advantage. It was a bit tedious and would have been much more productive if they had had the Room of Requirement, but it was better than nothing.

The Apparition training was going a bit slower than Harry would have liked, but Harry was sure they would succeed in the near future. Using all of his concentration, Harry could make himself move across the room in the bowels of Grimmauld Place. Lupin said that once he could do that feat with a minimal amount of concentration, they could practice long distance.

To summarize it, Harry decided that the various training had been going well, but not as well as he had hoped. It was nearly Halloween now, and if they kept up this rate, they would be a force to be reckoned with by the end of the year. Harry planned to take his friends to Potter Manor over the summer, where they could really train hard, like he did the past summer. That would allow him to perhaps break out the tougher subjects, like wandless magic and Animagus training.

He was drawn away from his thoughts of future training by a grey owl that flew over him and deposited a discreet white letter in his lap. Ignoring his breakfast, he opened the letter and read it.

_Mr. Potter,_

_I am delighted to inform you that I will be interviewing you at the Hog's Head this Satuday at 9 a.m. I cannot wait to here the interesting things you have to say this time. Minister Fudge has decided against a full press conference, since he wishes to give you a comfortable environment. Oh my, this reporter can hardly wait to find out what the Chosen One thinks of recent developments. _

_Sincerely, _

_Rita Skeeter_

Harry ran a hand through his messy hair and massaged his temple. Fudge wanted to give him a comfortable environment? A likely story… Harry guessed that Fudge was afraid of Harry breaking his word and telling the press the truth. If he was alone with only one reporter, Fudge could force Rita to not write her story if Harry said anything against Fudge.

He wished Skeeter wasn't the one doing the interviewing; she was as nasty as they come. It would have been fitting if she had titled her letter _Insincerely_. Although, it was actually a positive thing, now that he thought about it, he had a bit of leverage over the beetle.

During the night, he slipped away to Potter Manor with his girlfriend to work on his potion. After five minutes of scraping solidified, blood-like, gloop out of a pewter cauldron and adding it in slow increments to another cauldron filled with a orange solution that was giving off translucent teal vapor, the potion began to look like the burnt orange that was required. Harry smelled it, expecting it to be acrid, but it actually was quite odorless, despite the fact that many of the ingredients had distinct odors.

"Okay, you're supposed to drink it now, and then lie down," Ginny said, handing him a vial filled with the liquid.

"Okay, here goes nothing, I guess."

Harry took the potion and closed his eyes, relaxing onto a couch. Just when he began to believe he must have done something wrong, he noticed that he was surrounded by a white mist. He saw shadows forming on the other side of the mist, but he was not able to walk to them. As they started to approach him, Harry noticed that they resembled animals. There were five of them, but Harry couldn't identify them yet. His heart sank a little when he saw one of them winding through the mist like a serpent, but one shadow seemed fairly large. Hopefully that one was a hippogriff…

The figures revealed themselves now, coming out of the mist and looking into Harry's eyes. He immediately observed that the animals all had green eyes. There was a large snake, perhaps fifteen feet long, with a powerful, muscular body and razor sharp fangs the size of knives on each side of its forked tongue.

Harry decided that the snake certainly wasn't going to be his first choice. McGonagall would probably have a heart attack… Next was an eagle with a large wingspan and elegant golden feathers covering its lean torso. _Hmm… that would be kinda cool…_ Harry mused. He guessed that he only got to choose one of the animals, so he decided to look at the next one.

It was a squirrel, bouncing and pacing around with a surprising agility. It radiated excitement, but also dedication. _It would be fun to be a squirrel, but too small to be useful…_ he decided.

A raven with feathers as dark as midnight appeared next, but Harry vetoed that as well, due to the fact that his phoenix form could fly faster anyway. The raven did have the advantage of blending into a night sky, but Harry decided that he wanted something a little bit more interesting.

Last of all was a huge hippogriff. It had jet-black feathers covering its head, upper body, and wings. Its wings were huge, Harry guessed that they were only a bit smaller than Thunderwing's and Hagrid had claimed that Thunderwing had a wingspan of twenty-four feet. The hippogriff's back half was that of a lean stallion's, rippling muscles covered by pure white fur. The hippogriff's eyes were massive orbs of emerald green that radiated power and passion.

Harry was fairly sure of what his choice would be, but he looked over the other animals just to be completely sure. He noticed that the eyes of each animal were just like his, yet also slightly different. He couldn't explain it; each animal just seemed to be a different part of his spirit. The snake's eyes made him feel cunning and powerful, like he had just accomplished his goals. The eagle's eyes were sharp and piercing, and Harry felt the thrill of the hunt; the thrill of pursuit and the pride in being the victor. In the squirrel, Harry saw his youthful excitement, as if he were the eleven-year-old discovering Hogwarts, or the sixteen-year-old, exploring the joys of kissing. The raven's eyes reminded Harry of the darkness in his past, but it also made him feel content, as if he had accepted the death of his loved ones and understood that they were still with him in his heart. The hippogriff's eyes were full of pride and resilience. Harry wasn't sure how to explain it, but he felt secure and strong, as if he could handle the world on his shoulders. He felt as if he was a protector and a destroyer at the same time, both a hunter and a peaceful, yet an enduring animal at the same time.

Harry was unsure of how to select an animal, or if he was even supposed to, so he simply moved towards the hippogriff and made note of all of the animals' features. Soon he felt himself distance from the white mist and he got up, taking in his surroundings.

"Well?" Ginny asked.

"Well what?"

"What happened in your trance, you dolt!"

"Oh… yeah, I chose a hippogriff. I saw the animals that I was compatible with; there were five. Each one seemed to… I don't know, convey something about me. It was really neat, although I'm a bit tired now."

"We can talk about it in the morning if you want. Although, I really want to know what animals you got," Ginny said enthusiastically.

"Snake, Eagle, Squirrel, Raven, hippogriff," Harry said.

"Wow, most wizards only see one or two. I suppose you're a real animal guy, huh Harry?"

"Enough talk now, the lion wants to claim his lioness," Harry said suggestively, wrapping his arm around her.

"Well, king of the jungle, you had better do it now before the queen gets impatient and claims you," Ginny said with a dazzling smile. She had considered asking Harry more about his trance, but what could a girl do when they were surrounded by Harry's muscular arms and could hear the accelerated beat of his heart?

Harry captured her lips with his own, only to have her lips sneak out of his and envelope his. Harry smirked as they fought playfully for control of the kiss. Eventually, they both couldn't take it anymore, and their mouths opened to allow their tongues to seek the warm embrace of the other. It had only been a few days since Harry had engaged in a real snogging session, but he felt like it had been a year. Harry was about to suggest that they head back to Hogwarts, but Ginny had decided that it would be a good idea to suck on his adam's apple. Harry agreed with her and decided to gently nibble on her delicious looking earlobe. Harry wanted desperately to pull her on top of him, or position himself over her, but he forced himself to keep a few inches between their bodies. While he was lost in passion, a nasty voice sounding like a mix of Mrs. Weasley's and McGonagall's was telling him to keep his raging ardor under control.

It was Halloween today, and Harry was journeying to Hogsmeade with a gloomy expression stuck to his face. He had decided that his friends didn't need to be present while he did his end of the bargain with Fudge, especially since it wasn't an actual Hogsmeade weekend.

"Ahh… Hello there, Harry m'boy!" Fudge said enthusiastically, sounding very much like one Horace Slughorn. Harry sighed as he saw Fudge followed by the infamous reporter, Rita Skeeter.

"Let's get this over with…" Harry muttered, taking a seat in the Three Broomsticks.

"Hello, Harry, it is so nice to see you! I wonder what we shall talk about today?" Rita Skeeter said, eyeing him like a large Wheel of Fortune.

"Yes, well, you are supposed to interview me on what I think about the Ministry's actions in recent events, nothing else. We both know why you are here and what you must do. I'm warning you, if you take anything a hair too far, then I will have to see you fired. Does life in a jar sound appealing? I'm sure whoever replaces you will at least give you an intriguing story, don't you think?" Harry said, full of false joy. He didn't know why it he was being so aggressive; he just felt that he had to somehow set the rules before Rita broke them.

To Rita's credit, her face remained blank. "Yes of course, Mr. Potter. I am not even using my favorite quill," she said, waving a standard quill in front of him. "Now, Potter, what really happened the night that Mrs. Longbottom was attacked?"

"Well, I worked together with the Ministry's Aurors to save her. Lucius Malfoy, Peter Pettigrew, Rodolphus Lestrange, Dolohov, and Rookwood were among the Death Eaters I noticed there."

"Is it true you rescued Mrs. Longbottom single handedly?"

"Yes, I ran ahead and rescued her. The Ministry got held back by some other Death Eaters," Harry said, ignoring Fudge, who no doubt wanted Harry to say that the Ministry was the head of the rescue.

"What do you know about the attack on Amelia Bones?" Rita asked.

"Voldemort himself tried to breach the wards around the house, but Dumbledore held him off by constructing wards. I was not involved in her rescue. However, it is thanks to the Ministry, that so many Death Eaters were taken to Azkaban," Harry said, hating himself as he said those lies.

"Oh yes, that brings us to the Minister's new reforms! Fudge, would you like to say a few words?"

Fudge gathered himself pompously. "Well, it has come to my attention that You-Know-Who has recently recruited the Dementors. I gathered a team of the best architects, curse-breakers, and Aurors that the Ministry has and we are currently drawing plans for a prison that will be completely impenetrable. Harry Potter has experience with this, so he is working with us on this secret project. That is the first step in our plans to defeat You-Know-Who."

Harry could barely keep himself from snorting very loudly. Harry sighed and adopted an expression of agreement. "Yes, I praise the Minister's foresight in building the new prison. If only we had thought to do it years ago…" Harry couldn't help himself from saying the last part.

The conversation went on like that for a while; Fudge took credit for everything that was going well in the world and took credit for Harry's reforms. Harry said he and the Minister had a top secret plan to destroy Voldemort, and these reforms were the first of many. It was very frustrating for Harry, but it could have been a lot worse. Luckily Rita did not ask anything about the previous year and kept her questions away from Harry's personal life. Fudge had probably warned her to keep his golden boy in good spirits. Harry had a mountain of nasty things to say about Fudge, but he stuck to the deal, thinking that one day, he might need a favor from the Minister. He had to think like a Slytherin instead of a Gryffindor, no matter how much it made him want to pull his hair out.

"So, what would you say to the average citizen wishing to help with the project to create a new Wizarding World?" Rita asked, the predatory gleam in her face making Harry a bit uneasy.

"I don't think I mentioned anything about creating a new Wizarding World. I said that our project would help build a world without Voldemort. Don't oversell it. This is what I want you to write; Harry Potter is working with Fudge to build a force that will defeat the Death Eaters. None of this 'Harry Potter is going to build a utopia and solve all our problems. Got it?" Harry asked irritably.

The problem with Rita Skeeter is she would always react the same way. "Oh, yes, of course, I wouldn't say that. I must have misunderstood you."

Harry noticed she made no move to edit her clipboard. "Skeeter, I mean it. If you backstab me, you will end up in a Muggle insect lab, where you will be dissected by a biologist…"

"I wouldn't even think about printing anything but the truth, Harry dear," Rita said with honey that was as sweet as venom. "Now, about the one last message to the average citizen…"

With a grim, firm visage, Harry began to speak, carefully constructing his sentences. "Everyone has a role to play. You need to constantly look for ways to help. If you can fight, then help the Aurors. If you have money, share it with the victims of the war. If you know anyone who you think is leaning towards joining Voldemort, stop them however possible. Try to convince them and don't let them throw their lives away. If you are in contact with someone who is a Death Eater, don't arouse their suspicion; just discreetly contact the Auror Department or myself, and we will make sure you receive protection. Remember, Death Eaters have tortured and killed innocents, raped women, and destroyed families. Do not show them mercy; if you must, fight back with fire. Fight them in every way possible. Minister Fudge and I can only do so much; all of you need to change the way you live if you want to survive the war." Harry sighed.

"Wow… I can just imagine it… _The Chosen One Speaks Out Again: Winning the War._"

_AN: Okay, that was chapter eleven, I hope you enjoyed. Please review, I really appreciate it. _

_I understand the Animagus deal may have been a bit much, but I do honestly have plans for it; they aren't there just to be cool little talents. The same thing with Harry learning Apparition from Lupin; his desire to learn as much as possible shows how he is a lot more focused and determined than in canon. A proactive Harry would learn what he thinks needs to be learned._

_Coming up next: Halloween Dueling Tournament and the results of Harry's interview. _

Thanks to my beta, Termalaine


	12. Chapter 12: A Haunted Halloween

Chapter Twelve: A Haunted Halloween

Chapter Twelve: A Haunted Halloween

Later that Halloween, after the feast, the library was magically cleared to make room for Snape's Dueling Tournament. Harry noticed that there were about thirty participants, from the fifth through seventh years. Dumbledore didn't look too happy, but he was there nonetheless, most likely to make sure no one got hurt. Harry guessed that Snape had pulled a few strings to get this tournament approved. Harry still didn't know what Snape's motives were, but Harry was excited nonetheless. He used his Occlumency to clear his mind and push the darker spells to the back of his mind. He couldn't slip up and cast a Slicing Curse or anything. He also wanted his wandless abilities to stay close to the vest.

Snape strolled to the front of the elevated dueling circle, with a diameter of about twenty yards. Harry observed that it was a medium sized circle, with a slight rubber coating on the floor. There were no corners, which meant he couldn't corner his opponents, but if he could take control of the center, it would back his opponent into a side, which would give him much more room than his opponent had to dodge. 

"Before we commence, I am going to tell you what the purpose of this dueling tournament is. In the world that we inhabit, the knowledge of how to duel could save your life. That is unfortunate for many of you because the majority of you would be defeated by a Death Eater within ten seconds or less. You will observe the mistakes of your classmates; if you are in my N.E.W.T. class, you must write a four foot essay on what patterns you have observed and how you can improve your dueling prowess. All of you must write down every spell used that you do not know. If you do not know which spell was used, you will research the spell in the library. Now I will lend the floor to the Headmaster, who will be discussing the rules," Snape said, his face bored and unemotional. 

Harry shrugged; everything Snape had said was reasonable. Harry had been planning to do something like this with the D.A. last year before Umbridge crashed the party. Perhaps Snape was genuinely trying to help the students improve at dueling? Harry guessed that Dumbledore had told Snape that he was to make sure that his students learned defense, and this was Snape's way of carrying out Dumbledore's request in his own way. 

Or Snape, being the nefarious character that he was, had a plan to make something happen during the tournament that wouldn't be beneficial to the students. 

"Thank you, Severus. Please pay attention; any individuals who break these rules will face most dire consequences. First of all, absolutely no Unforgivables, or spells that have even the slightest chance of being fatal. This includes Cutting Curses, Slicing Curses, any flammable spells, Choking Curses, any curses that affect the bones of the opponents, any curses that involve poison, or curses that affect any of the students in the audience. There is an invisible shield surrounding the circle, but I warn you not to try anything that attempts to… use the surroundings…" Dumbledore glanced at Harry. Harry blinked, realizing the curse he used against Malfoy was out of the question. "Is there any questions?"

"What about curses that involve animation, conjuring, and transfiguration, are those allowed?" Hermione asked keenly, eyeing Harry. 

"Yes they are, as long as they are not aimed to hurt the opponent. All results of the Transfiguration must be easily undoable and any conjured items cannot be used to hurt the opponent more than necessary." 

After a short silence, Snape shouted, "If that is all, we will begin with Nott versus Bell. There are sixteen duels in the first round, all of which were arranged randomly."

Harry mouthed a 'good luck' to his fellow Gryffindor and watched as the pair stood on opposite sides of the circle. Harry was fairly interested in this duel because Nott's father was a Death Eater, and Harry had no idea where Nott's loyalties lay. Theodore Nott was a potential enemy, so it would be prudent to know how the boy dueled in case he decided to follow in his father's footsteps.

"Three… Two… One… Begin!" Snape yelled. 

Katie fired off a quick Stunner at Nott, but the wiry sixth-year dodged and returned with an Incarcerous. Katie managed to shield herself, but Nott had taken the offensive with a strong disarmer. Katie's shield managed to absorb the brunt of the spell, except she was pushed back and fell. She fired a surprisingly strong Blasting Hex at Nott, which gave her time to return to her feet with Nott shielded himself. Harry noticed that Nott was breathing harder than Katie, but Katie seemed more disheveled. They both paced around the ring nervously, waiting for the other to show their hand. Finally Nott conjured a series of small rocks and sent them flying at Katie. Katie ran to the side, but Nott anticipated this and threw a Stunner into her path. 

Nott was pretty good, Harry admitted. Katie wasn't bad either, she just didn't have an offensive mentality. The rocks hadn't been traveling that fast and while Nott was propelling them, his guard was down. If Katie had just attacked him first and then worried about the rocks after, she would have had him. 

The next few duels were fairly dull, mostly because the students used nothing beyond Disarming Charms and Stunning Spells. The seventh years had an advantage over the younger students, but Harry could tell that none of them really knew what they were doing. 

The next duel that caught Harry's attention was the duel between Ginny and Marieta Edgecombe. Ginny smirked when she heard her name called along with the 'Sneak'. 

Marietta began with a _Reducto_, clearly not expecting Ginny to know how to cast a shield. After blocking the spell, Ginny sent a Bat-Bogey Hex right into her face. The crowd certainly made some noise then! 

To Marietta's credit, she managed to avoid Ginny's Disarmer, but she was in no shape to accurately cast any offensive spells. She was dropped by Ginny's Stunner. 

Harry congratulated his girlfriend, although he reminded her that she should have just used a Stunner right after the Bat-Bogey Hex instead of allowing Marietta to flail for a minute. 

"Harry Potter and… Hermione Granger," Snape announced with a smirk. Everyone was instantly quiet, staring at the two Gryffindors. 

"Good luck, Hermione," Harry said sincerely. 

Hermione nodded and they entered the arena. Harry started by conjuring a jet of water that he directed towards Hermione. He knew that she would dodge it, and that was the point; Harry wanted to find a pattern in the way she dodged. 

Hermione shot two Stunners towards his right and left, forcing Harry to turn sideways to avoid both of them. Hermione sent a wide Striking Hex towards him, which was absorbed by Harry's shield. 

_Vicisstudo Gelo!_ Harry said mentally, causing the water that was now scattered across the arena to become shards of ice. Harry almost used a _Medio Centuriatim_ to get the shards to shoot towards Hermione, but he quickly decided against it, almost slapping himself for thinking about using that spell. Harry instead caused them to swirl threateningly around Hermione, clouding her vision. 

"_Vicisstudo Fervens!_" Hermione shouted, causing the shards of ice to slowly melt. She hastily constructed a shield to block his Stunner.

Harry smiled; Hermione was pretty good, he had to admit. "_Accio Hermione's shoes!_" Harry said loudly. He didn't plan on taking her shoes, he just wanted her to be forced to cast an _Arresto Momentum_ or lose her footing. 

Hermione was apparently smarter than Harry had taken her for. She cast a charm that emitted a wave of very bright light, temporarily blinding Harry as she fell due to Harry's spell. 

Harry immediately started to run around the arena until he regained his vision. It was important to always be mobile. Harry guessed that Hermione would want to cast a flurry of spells at him rather than regain her footing, so Harry didn't need to see to know where to aim. He cast a Bludgeoning Hex that would hopefully take care of Hermione's shield, followed by three Stunners. As the light faded, Harry noticed that Hermione was indeed stunned. 

After enervating her, Harry helped her to her feet and left the arena. He noticed that Snape was smirking, while most of the students seemed stunned by their performance. Harry groaned; he realized Snape must have set this up so that he was facing his friends in the next rounds. 

After a few uninteresting duels, Snape announced that Luna would be facing Eddie Carmichael, a fellow Ravenclaw. Harry saw Luna's eyes narrow very briefly before slipping back into her dreamy eyed expression. Harry guessed that he was one of the Ravenclaw's who'd hid Luna's things last year, but with Luna, it could have been that he simply insulted the _Quibbler_.

Luna stood on the dueling floor, not even looking at her opponent, causing Carmichael to smirk. He began by shooting a Disarmer at Luna. 

Harry waited for Luna to dodge, but she wasn't moving at all. Finally, she completely dropped to the floor, fired a _Confundus_ at her opponent, and got back to her feet. She whispered the incantation, so only the students who recognized the yellow beam of light could understand why Carmichael was now shooting red jets of light all around the arena. 

Luna let this go on for nearly two minutes, shielding herself from the few spells that actually came her way. Finally she stunned her opponent and promptly exited the arena.

Neville didn't have time to congratulate her because he found himself facing Parvati Patel, who he defeated quickly. Harry nodded at Neville; the boy understood that there was no reason to elongate the duel or try to use style. A Stunner to the chest got the job done. 

The next notable duel was between Ron and Blaise Zabini. Harry didn't know much about the tall black Slytherin, so he watched the duel intently. Zabini carried himself well, walking with his head held high, a small sneer on his face. He didn't seem as stuck up as Malfoy, but Harry guessed that he came for a Pureblood family that was not against Voldemort's cause. 

Ron began offensively, shooting a Body-Bind Curse followed be a Stunner. Blaise dismissed the curses with a well placed-shield, but he did not attempt to counter the spells or reflect them towards Ron. Blaise just smirked at Ron and sidestepped Ron's Bludgeoning Hex. 

Harry eyed Blaise carefully. Blaise knew he was doing the one thing that would set Ron off. Ron was getting angry, his spells coming in harder and faster, but less accurate. Perhaps Blaise had observed Ron playing Quidditch.

"_Impactus! Percutio!_" Ron said angrily. The first spell slammed into Blaise's shield, breaking through slightly and slamming Blaise backwards. Blaise fell to the floor, but that allowed Ron's powerful Striking Curse to fly above his head. 

"Damnit, fight back!" Ron shouted. Harry shook his head; it seemed the combination of the Malfoy-haughtiness and Slytherin cunning was overwhelming Harry's attempts to teach Ron to keep his temper under control. 

"_Incarcerous,_" Blaise said, shooting strong ropes at Ron. Ron easily dodged them, sending a Blasting Hex at Blaise, which Blaise deflected. 

Ron shot a Concussion Curse at Blaise, which raised many eyebrows in the crowd. The sky-blue beam was not as wide as Harry's or Snape's, but it rocketed towards Blaise. 

Blaise dropped to the floor again, but this time, he stayed on the ground, pointing his wand to Ron's side. Ron stalked forward eagerly, thinking Blaise was now cornered. 

The ropes from Blaise's missed Incarcerous Curse began to transfigure into thick vines, which slowing crept towards Ron's feet. 

Ron stood angrily over Blaise, yelling the incantation for a Stunner, but before he could finish, Blaise's wand jabbed downwards and the vines wrapped themselves tightly around Ron's ankles, bringing the tall redhead crashing to the floor. Ron tried to dispel the vines, but a jet of red light stopped him from doing so. 

There was a roar of cheering from the Slytherin end of the crowd as the Gryffindors groaned. Ron, after being revived, refused to shake Blaise's hand and stalked off of the pitch. Harry shook his head disappointedly; he needed to have a few talks with his best mate. There was nothing wrong in losing to an opponent who was more skilled, but Ron had only lost because he had lapsed back into his fourteen year-old mindset. 

Snape was smirking at Blaise, who was returning the smirk. "Now, we enter the second rung of the competition, now that the wheat has been separated from the chaff, if you know what I mean…" Snape said, sneering at the sixteen students who lost their duels. "First, we have Nott versus Weasley. Ahem, the victorious Weasley, I should specify."

"Good luck, Gin," Harry said, patting her on the back. "Remember, stay concentrated, no matter what he does."

Ginny nodded. "Don't worry, I have a plan."

"Three… two… one…" 

"_Silencio!_" Ginny yelled.

Nott stood there for a second, dumbly opening his mouth. He obviously was not proficient in Non-verbal Magic. He ran around wildly, dodging Ginny's stunners, hoping for the Silencing Spell to end. 

Ginny had good aim, but Nott was quick and hard to hit. Finally, the charm ended, and Nott promptly brought up his shield to protect himself from being silenced. 

Nott shot Blue-Bell Flames at Ginny, which she avoided by running to the side and casting her Bat-Bogey Hex. 

Nott's shield absorbed the hex, but Ginny's Impactus hammered him backwards. Nott rolled over, conjuring a large shard of ice, which he propelled towards Ginny. Harry stood up wildly, his eyes blazing. If the dagger shaped shard hit her in the neck it would kill her. Luckily Ginny waved her wand, transforming the ice into water. 

"_Reducto! Everbero!_" Ginny shouted, going for the strong physical offensive. The Blasting Hex cannoned through Nott's shield and hit him in the elbow. Nott gritted his teeth and re-conjured his shield to protect himself from Ginny's Bludgeoning Hex. 

"_Diffindo!_" Nott cried angrily. Ginny leapt to the side, but the Cutting Curse still drew lines of blood across her left arm. 

"STOP!" Dumbledore's voiced boom loudly. Nott's wand was torn from his hand and the Headmaster entered the arena. "Mr. Nott is disqualified for using a Cutting Curse. Further punishment will be assigned by his head of house. Ms. Weasley, would you allow Fawkes to heal your arm? I'm afraid there is a silly rule that you cannot have magical potions in between duels…" Dumbledore said, glancing at Snape. 

"There is no rule against using the tears of Phoenixes in between duels…" Snape muttered.

Harry strode onto the pitch, asking Ginny how bad her cut was. Harry noticed that it wasn't deep, so he mentally asked Fawkes if he could heal it. 

"Ginny, are you okay now?"

"Yes. I'm fine, okay?"

"I'm going to murder that slimy git…" Harry said heatedly while they walked back into the crowd. 

"No, you're not…" Ginny said rolling her eyes. "I don't need you to become overprotective, okay? Just worry about yourself; it was my fault for taking so long to take him out."

Snape interrupted their discussion with a loud, "Chang versus Smith."

Harry really couldn't care less who won, but it was clear that Ginny didn't really want to talk about the duel, so Harry just put his arm around her and watched the duel. Zacharias ended up winning with a strong Disarmer. They were both better than the average, but Harry was a bit disappointed in the ex-DA members. They had obviously forgotten a good bit of the things they had learned. But then again, some people had learned more than others.

A few more duels occurred, and Luna was put against Susan Bones. The duel took a while; Susan did know the basics of dueling, but in the end, Luna defeated her by catching the Hufflepuff's feet in a coil that made her trip. Luna was not overly powerful, but she certainly was creative, Harry had to admit. She was observant and under pressure, she seemed to function well. If Harry ended up dueling her, he realized that he would have to be careful. 

Neville defeated a fifth year Ravenclaw with relative ease, and soon Snape was announcing the beginning of the next round, which would consist of four duels. 

"Longbottom and Zabini, please come up," Snape said. 

The duel began with Neville opening with three strong Stunning Spells, one aimed directly at Blaise, and one slightly to the right and to the left. 

Blaise dropped to the ground and returned fire by shooting a mass of ropes at Neville. Neville strafed to the side, shooting a series of Blasting Hexes at the tall Slytherin. 

Blaise shielded himself, but Neville overpowered his shield and Blaise fell down on his rear. 

Neville shot a Stunner at Blaise, but Blaise rolled over and stood up, looking a bit disheveled. 

Harry eyed the duelists calculatingly. Blaise was obviously agile and quick, whereas Neville had more powerful spells, but was unable to catch Blaise off of his guard. Neville needed to fire his spells more rapidly, loosing a torrent of different hexes at Blaise, instead of firing a few, and then letting Blaise respond. Harry added that to the list of things he would stress in the next lesson. Neville seemed to question himself before he cast a spell. Instead of just casting whatever popped into his mind, he thought of a plan, and then debated it, which gave the opponent time. Neville's wand work was fine, he just had trouble improvising.

Still, Neville was patient and tenacious, so Harry was sure that the Gryffindor could win. Blaise was carefully defending himself and waiting for Neville to drop his guard, Harry could tell by the way that Blaise was always on the balls of his feet, ready to dodge a curse rather than return fire. 

Neville also caught on, because he began to stalk forward, while firing large spells to the right and left of Blaise, slowly forcing him into the corner. 

"_Silencio!_," Blaise said as he realized what Neville was doing. As Neville was verbally unable to cast a spell, Blaise shot a Stunner at Neville and ran swiftly to the left, bringing him a few feet away from Neville. Neville dodged the Stunner, but in doing so, he found himself only two feet away from Blaise. Startled at being so close to Blaise and unable to speak, his instincts took over and he did exactly what Harry told his friends to do if they found themselves right up against an opponent. He plowed his fist directly into Blaise's solar plexus, causing the boy to double-up and fall to the ground. 

"A-accio Wand," Neville stuttered breathing heavily. Everyone, including Snape, was looking at him in disbelief. Did the timid Gryffindor really just deck Zabini?

"Mr. Longbottom wins… next we have Potter and Weasley," Snape said, motioning for Neville and Blaise to vacate the arena. 

Harry groaned; he really didn't want to have to duel Ginny. Seeing Snape smirk at him, Harry wondered not for the first time how 'random' the draws actually were. 

Ginny nodded towards him. "Good luck."

Harry nodded back, knowing what he would do. There was only one option really, and that was to just treat her the same way as he had treated Hermione. That would be the least awkward of the situations. 

Everyone was on the edge of their seats, eagerly anticipating the duel to come. More than one girl was hoping for _something_ to transpire that would break Harry's and Ginny's relationship, so Harry might become available. 

Harry knew Ginny's fighting style very well, but the problem was that Ginny knew how he fought as well. The only advantages he had over her were his knowledge of borderline dark spells from the Half-Blood Prince and wandless magic, neither of which were skills he wished to display. He was in better physical condition than her, and he was more powerful, but in a duel where most dangerous spells were not allowed, power did not count for much. All advantages he held over Ginny were advantages that could hurt her. 

"_Sendralis,_" Harry said half-heartedly, shooting an azure beam at Ginny. She leapt aside and shot Bat-Bogeys at Harry, who winced and shielded himself. 

Harry conjured a thick, hazy mist around Ginny, which made it so that he could not see her. Harry quickly shot a massive net over the whole misted region, but Ginny shot three Blasting Hexes, which blew holes in the nets. As the mist was clearing, Harry and Ginny each brought up their shields, and shot minor spells against the other, each of them thinking of a creative way to attack. 

Improvisation is everything in a duel, Harry realized. In a battle, raw power, quick feet, and a hot wand would be enough, but in a controlled duel, it was about how you used the power and skills. Harry, with the help of his _Tome_, had come up with many combinations of attacks, but you had to be able to do more than memorize spell routines. Your mind had to read the situation and come up with good attack plans constantly. Harry decided to add this element to their practice… as soon as they found a steady practice area. 

Harry ran to the side, shooting Bludgeoning Hexes madly. He knew Ginny would block them, but he had a plan. He conjured a large dog and with a wild thrust of his hand, animated it, sending it towards Ginny. He didn't plan on letting it bite her, but he needed to distract her. 

She banished his animation, propelling it into the wall, and raising her shield just in time to catch Harry's powerful Stunner. The impact propelled her backwards, but with an almost feline grace, she was back on her feet. "_Impactus… Lumos Major!_" Ginny shouted, causing a large grey beam to shoot at Harry, followed by a blinding beam of light. 

Harry recognized the spell as the one Hermione had used, and he quickly dodged her first spell, and then strafed to the side, while erecting a shield. He gritted his teeth; it was time to play one of his cards. While the light was still obscuring his form, he pointed his wand at his head and muttered, "_Effingo Juxta_!" When the light faded, there were two identical Harry Potters standing next to each other, and a crowd full of people with their mouths hanging open. 

Harry sent his duplicate around the circle towards Ginny, while he approached on the other side. 

Ginny rapidly shot a barrage of Stunners, Blasting Hexes, and Impedimentas at each of the Harrys, but they both dodged the spells. She cursed; she had been hoping that one would perform magic, so that she would know which one was the real Harry. 

She didn't notice that one Harry was wincing while thinking about how he would end the duel. Harry sent his duplicate charging at Ginny like a madman, while he inconspicuously cast ropes around her feet. 

Right as a Harry was about to pummel her, she cast a Stunner at Harry's duplicate, not sure which one was which. She had her answer when the red light flew right through the duplicate, and the duplicate Harry's fist went through her without her feeling anything. 

When she tried to move, she realized her feet were tied together. Harry shot a Stunner in front of Ginny, but then yanked the ropes, causing her to move into the jet of red light. 

The crowd erupted into cheers, and Harry looked at Snape, waiting for him to hurry up and declare a victor, so that he may revive Ginny. 

"Oh… right… Potter wins," Snape said quickly, looking very pensive. 

Harry enervated her and put his arm around her, taking her off the arena. He hoped desperately that she wouldn't be angry. 

"Way to go, Harry," she said. "You'll have to teach me that one."

"Huh?" he said. "Oh right, yeah. You were great too… are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine," she said. "Really, I'm glad you won."

Harry nodded, relieved. 

The semifinals began with Harry facing a seventh-year Slytherin, who he defeated with relative ease, followed by a duel between Neville and Luna. 

The couple was, for the most part, evenly matched. Neville knew how to block almost everything Luna could throw at him, and vice-versa. Neville gained the advantage by managing to hit Luna with a Tripping Hex, but he hesitated instead of immediately stunning her, allowing her to regain her footing. Luna rapidly shot jets of blue light out of her wand that even Harry couldn't identify. 

Neville contorted himself weirdly to dodge the streams of light, figuring that since he didn't know what it was, he might as well dodge them. 

Harry finally realized what Luna was up to and he smiled. She was simply shooting harmless beams out of her wand, which looked threatening, but were actually harmless. She was ever the imaginative one…

Neville realized this too when Luna began to mix of few Stunners into the mix. At first, Neville didn't know what to dodge, but he eventually caught on and let the blue light hit him, and brought up a shield to absorb the red Stunners. 

Unfortunately for Neville, Luna's Tripping Hex slipped under his shield. She did not hesitate the same way he did. 

After a short break, Snape announced that Harry would be facing Luna. Who would have believed it; Loony Lovegood facing Harry Potter in the finals… The crowd certainly had trouble grasping the way the tournament had turned out. 

"Good luck, Luna," Harry said. 

"The same for you, Harry," she said, the typical dreamy expression on her face. 

After Snape signaled for the duel to begin, Harry quickly ran towards her and aggressively shot a nova of frost at her feet. Her feet were stuck in place and stuck to the ground by a chunk of ice. Harry supposed it was a bit underhanded, given that she hadn't learned how to transfigure ice to water, but he decided that he didn't want to exhaust himself with a long duel. He fired a Disarming Spell at her wand arm. 

Luna, at the last minute, conjured a shield, and angled it downwards, reflecting his spell directly at her feet, causing the ice to shatter enough for her to free her feet. 

Harry recovered and banished the shards of ice towards her. She dodged them, but as they flew past, Harry summoned them back, causing them to boomerang around. Harry realized as they were about to hit her from behind, they were rather sharp shards of ice and they could hurt, so he quickly turned the ice into very cold water. She gave a shriek of surprise as the ice cold water hit her while she was casting a spell, causing the spell to shoot in the wrong direction. 

Harry shot a powerful Striking Curse at her, which knocked through her shield and knocked her off her feet. Harry tried to summon her wand, but she still had a strong grip on it. Harry smiled, that was one of the things he had taught them; always hold the wand tight. She regained her footing and fired a series of Blasting Hexes at Harry, which he dodged. While she was just about to start another volley of spells, Harry cast a spell that made her wand radiate heat, causing her to give a yelp. While her grip was loose, Harry promptly summoned the wand from her hand and caught it. He went to help Luna making sure he hadn't hurt her hand. Luckily he had only made it hot enough to surprise her, not burn her. 

"Harry Potter is the winner of the dueling tournament," Snape said, without emotion, but not sourly, as Harry had expected him too. "This trophy," Snape picked up a medium sized golden cup from a nearby table, "shall be his. Now, if the winner would like, I will give him the opportunity to duel me. The same rules will apply; nothing that is potentially fatal. Potter, do you accept? Now is your chance to back out."

Harry was currently drinking a glass of water. His breathing was even, and he didn't feel tired. He was very thankful for his endurance training, both physical and magical. Without it, he would have been huffing and puffing. "Yes, I agree."

Everyone's attention was on the two duelists, but Harry had learned to block them all out. He needed to calmly find a weakness in Snape's defense and capitalize upon it, before Snape found a weakness in his defenses. Harry had never really dueled Snape before, so he didn't know exactly how to proceed. All he knew was that Snape was fairly obsessed with Defense Against the Dark Arts, and more the Dark Arts part than the Defense. 

He began by shooting off Stunners, while moving in a circle, to get a measure of Snape's tactics. Snape responded similarly. Neither was going for the win yet; they both were working out strategies and testing the opponent, like the beginning of a fencing match. Snape made the first offensive move when Harry seemed to pause for a second. 

He waved his wand, causing a huge wave of fire to envelope Harry. He then yelled, "_Serpensortia_." The snake was banished towards Harry at a high speed. 

Luckily Harry was familiar with the spell Snape used to conjure the flames, and he knew the flames only looked impressive and deadly. He saw the outline of the snake through the flames, and waited for the last minute to point his wand at the fanged missile and silently blast it into a gross mess. Harry then created a duplicate of himself using the same spell he used against Ginny. He sent the duplicate outside of the pillars of flame, and had the duplicate run around wildly, distracting Snape. 

Harry finally dispelled the flames and shot a huge cone of cold frost at Snape. Snape conjured a large metal shield, which he hid behind, waiting for Harry's blizzard to stop. Harry poured more and more energy into the spell, even adding some intensity to the blizzard wandlessly. The cone of swirling ice enveloped Snape, and soon Harry couldn't even see what was inside of the swirling mass of frosty particles. 

When Harry finally ended his snow storm, a huge, frosted, metal shield shot towards him at an extremely fast pace. If it wasn't for his agility training, he would have been rammed by the momentum of the shield. Snape was grimacing, but overall, he didn't look too fazed. Snape discarded his frozen cloak and cast a Warming Charm over himself, while dodging a Stunner from Harry. 

"Pathetic, Potter. Brute force never wins. You never did have a mind for subtlety or skill," Snape jeered. 

Harry forced himself to not get angry; angry people made mistakes. Overwhelming Snape with his power wouldn't work. He had to outthink the git. 

Snape's face lost it's jeer and Harry instinctively knew that Snape would now increase the intensity of the duel. Without speaking a word, Snape fired a huge amount of a strange, turquoise, gooey gel out of his wand that Harry didn't think he could dodge, due to the width of the spell. Instead he summoned the shield Snape had used and held it over his body. The sticky wave blasted him backwards, even with the shield, but he quickly regained his footing. Some of the goop had gotten on his arm, and it was extremely sticky, like tar. He figured that had he not used the shield, he would be completely stuck to the wall, covered in the gross substance. 

Harry threw the shield off to the side, only to receive a Bludgeoning Hex to the stomach, which almost knocked him off of his feet and into the pool of green goop, but he managed to keep his footing, though the spell knocked the wind out of him. 

He realized he had to stay mobile, so he ran away from the goop and while in motion, shot webs and webs of tough, sticky string at Snape. This time, Snape shot a cone of real fire at the incoming spider webs, burning them and pushing them off to the side. 

Snape tried to slam Harry in the gut again with a tough physical spell, but Harry had his magical shield up. Snape continued to drill Harry with spells, and Harry got a weird sense of de ja vu, remembering the time Snape had tested his Protego Charm.

Snape was apparently thinking similarly, because he blasted his large crescent moon shaped spell, that had a crimson hue. Harry remembered that it was the spell that cleaved his shield. Right behind the crescent, Snape blasted two Concussion Curses right at Harry's temple. 

Harry decided to give his plan a try. He dispelled his shield, allowing the crescent to pass right through his body, and quickly brought up his strongest shield, reinforcing it wandlessly. The shield buckled under the two curses, but it held. 

"Impressive," Snape muttered. 

Harry conjured three swords and levitated them over Snape's head. As they circled him menacingly, Harry said, "The blades will cut."

Snape smirked at Harry, knowing the boy wouldn't carry through with his threat. "Do it, then." In Harry's moment of hesitation, Snape thrust upwards, causing the blades to fly up and away from him. Then, his wand snapped downwards, sending a rain of ice down upon Harry's head. 

Harry, thinking quickly, ran to the other side of the arena, close to Snape, and occupied Snape by shooting Blasting Hexes at the man's chest. Snape seemed to know exactly where Harry would aim, because he just waved his wand, lazily deflecting the blasts. 

Harry finally figured out how Snape seemed to know exactly what he was planning. The bastard was using Legilimency against him! In the roar of the battle, Harry hadn't noticed the very slight passive probe in his mind, but now he was able to calm his mind and identify the mental probe. Snape wasn't digging into his memories, but he was using a very light type of Legilimency that allowed him to see the topmost thoughts in Harry's mind. 

Harry angrily didn't even think of using Occlumency; he simply tried to break into Snape's mind using Legilimency. Snape's eyes flew wide open at this, but he regained his composure and moved closer to Harry, meeting him eye for eye. 

Harry grimaced in pain as he felt Snape's mind push back against his. Gone was the subtle touch and furtive prying; Snape roughly ejected Harry from his mind and tried to spear into Harry's head. The two Legilimens fought with all out mental attacks that met in the middle. Harry pushed will all of his mental strength, but he could not push the balance in his favor. Snape was slowly winning, his probe overpowering Harry's. There was nothing Harry could do; even with his mental training, he was not yet at Snape's level. He didn't give up though; he closed his mind completely and tried to make sure Snape couldn't get in. Snape was sweating and breathing heavily in concentration, but Harry was about to lose his footing. He was only aware of the pain caused by Snape hammering against his mind, seeking entry, like a battering ram against a wall. Eventually Snape was in, and Harry collapsed onto the floor, a mix of desperation and fury. He wanted to murder Snape at the moment, but at the moment, it was looking as if Snape would be the one doing the murdering. 

Snape slowly withdrew, realizing he had won, but then the greasy git caught something in Harry's mind that made him stay. 

Harry groaned as Snape began to leaf through his memories of reading the _Tome of Shadows_. Why was Snape interested in that? Unless… no, it couldn't be. Snape shouldn't know about the book… 

_Yes, Potter. See me tomorrow night in my office. Tell no one, or you will wish you were never born,_ Snape sneered in Harry's mind. Snape finally withdrew from Harry's mind, and plucked Harry's wand from his fingers. 

Harry's head proceeded to explode in pain, causing him to writhe on the ground uncontrollably. He didn't know what was happening… he had thought that Snape withdrew from his mind… Why was there so much pain?

_Harry stared at the heap of dead bodies, rotting on the cold ground. Maggots writhed in the flesh, feasting off of the dead. Harry chuckled evilly. "The Muggles now rest in their rightful place…" He saw a Dudley's body, a scream frozen on to his pale face, buried under the heap of decomposing flesh. "Beautiful, is it not, the idea that we can channel the very forces of life and death on such a scale."_

Harry screamed once again, trying futilely to clamp shut his eyes… his red slits…

Snape grabbed his head. 

"NO!" screamed Ginny, her voice ringing above the screaming audience. She cast a Stunning Spell at Snape, thinking he was slowly killing Harry, but her spell rebounded off of the dueling barrier that had been erected to keep stray spells from hitting the audience. 

"Dumbledore, do something," Hermione yelled, frantic desperation etched across her face. "Help him, please!"

Snape looked directly at Harry, but no one could see the man's expression of fear.

"_NO!!" screamed Harry, but all that came out of his snakelike mouth was a maddening laugh that chilled his bones. _

"_Happy Halloween, Harry. Don't be afraid. Harry, to be afraid, is to admit that you feel attracted to the sight before you… you didn't cry for your relatives, did you? We are not so different. Come, for old time's sakes, let us partake in one of my favorite pastimes…"_

_No! You're a monster! A perversion of all I believe!_ Harry cried furiously, sickness overwhelming him as he stared at the heap of decomposing, pale bodies. 

_Voldemort Apparated and Harry could see a large, rickety house. An orphanage. He knew that the cemetery was only the first part of the show that Voldemort had planned for him._

Harry squirmed on the ground desperately, thrusting out with his exhausted mind against Voldemort's hold, but he was way too strong. Even if Harry had not used up his mental resilience against Snape, he still didn't think he would have been able to escape Voldemort's hold. 

_Harry flicked his spider-like hand, causing the building to go up in flames. The magical flames grew at an extremely fast rate, enveloping the house in a bright orange haze, and sending gray smoke up to the sky, obscuring the moon and the stars. "No…" Harry cried weakly, now desperate. "Please…"_

"_Beautiful, is it not… to be able to, with a flick of the hand, destroy the place where I was almost destroyed… I almost lost the will to live inside of those walls. We are similar, Harry, for I know that you shed no tears over your dearly departed relatives… We both seek to control our lives, and destroy those who would impede our paths or meddle with our destinies."_

"_Put it out… please… they're just children… they didn't do anything to you…PUT IT OUT!"_

"_Look at it, Harry. Don't tear your eyes away, for you and I both know that you crave something that I alone can provide… power. Look at power in it'\s purest form… power over life and death." _

_Harry tried to avert his eyes, but Voldemort was in control. _

_As the house collapsed, Harry could here screams over the roar of the consuming flames. One child ran out of the house, screaming wildly, his clothes aflame._

Snape saw blood oozing down Harry's scar, and he reacted quickly. 

_Voldemort laughed wildly as few escaped the inferno. Suddenly, he felt Harry push against him with a new found resilience. Voldemort tightened his hold over Harry, smirking as it caused Harry to scream in pain, louder than before. "That's right, Harry. Do not fight it… do not force yourself to feel the pain. Relax and enjoy the show… Embrace the shadow."_

"_GET OUT!" Harry screamed. _

"_Don't you understand? We are chained, Harry, chained by our mutual desire to kill each other. You hate me… I can feel it. That is too bad, because I will forever be lurking on the horizon, haunting your mind, until the day you die. You wish to destroy me… but how can you? How can a pitiful boy like yourself, who cannot stomach true power, cannot stomach the thoughts that echo through my mind, hope to stand a chance?"_

"I will kill you if it's the last bloody thing I ever do!" raged Harry, pure fury filling his mind, fueled by the overwhelming sense of helplessness he felt, watching the Muggle children die. "I'll be free of you soon, free of you forever. I will stand over your corpse and-" 

"Do you really think you're in a position to threaten me?" Voldemort hissed, grinning evilly, sending a bolt of pain pulsing through Harry's mind. 

Snape joined his mind with Harry and pushed against the invading force with everything he had. He could see Voldemort's presence, a sickly crimson stain that was slowly enveloping more and more of Harry's mind, like a growing cancer. Harry could feel Voldemort's hold receding, but still fighting hard, determined not to lose any ground. Harry sent weak defenses to aid whatever force was battling Voldemort, putting every bit of force into the mental battle as he could. 

Snape felt Harry pushing back, and he joined Harry's mental defenses, painstakingly pushing Voldemort out of Harry's mind. Voldemort wouldn't go down without a fight. While Snape did not have the magical power to duel the Dark Lord, his mental abilities were strong and unyielding. He was able to keep the Dark Lord out of his mind, and now, devoting all of his mental will to aiding Harry, he was able to remove Voldemort's hold on the boy. 

Harry had time to exhale once in relief before slumping unconscious on the ground in a mess of sweat, tears, and blood. He would never forget the sounds he heard coming out of that orphanage.

"ALL STUDENTS WILL RETURN TO THEIR DORMS," Dumbledore said commandingly. "Severus, you will accompany Harry and I to the Hospital Wing." Snape was too stunned to move; he was breathing heavily, his head throbbing.

"Are you blind?" Ron yelled furiously. "Snape just attacked Harry…"

"Is he alive…" someone asked.

McGonagall shouted for students to be silent, but her voice was drowned in a sea of furious students. "Attack him, he just killed Harry!" Ernie shouted, pointing at Snape. 

Spells began to fly around the room, but Dumbledore reinforced the shields around the arena. "Fawkes…" he said, looking extremely worn. Fawkes appeared inside of the arena and his talons gently took hold of Harry and Snape. Soon the two disappeared and the students grew even louder. 

"What the hell are you doing?" Neville said, turning on Dumbledore.

Ginny pointed her wand right at Dumbledore.

"STOP, ALL OF YOU," Dumbledore shouted, waving his hand and causing all of the students to be silenced. They tried to speak, but no noise could be heard. "I do not believe Snape was the one to injure Harry Potter. Please return to your dorms, as that will allow the professors to get the situation under control. I assure you that your student will be perfectly fine."

Ginny was filled with fury. How could Snape not have done it? The bastard had held Harry's head close to his and maintained eye contact as Harry appeared to be in increasing amounts of pain… She nonverbally cast a furious stream of spells at Dumbledore, which he blocked, hardly moving his hand at all. 

"Miss Weasley, I promise you that I am doing all in my power to aid Harry. Please follow your Head of House to the dorms."

She tried to yell in frustration, but she couldn't. 

Luna grabbed her peer and mouthed something to her. _Hospital Wing._

Ginny's eyes lit up, now abandoning their fury as she had a new idea in her mind. Luna was always good at thinking under pressure…

Ginny and Luna grabbed their friends, and they began to run. As they left the room, they were able to speak, and Ginny yelled, "We have to get to the Hospital Wing, that's where Harry would have been taken!"

"I'm going to kill that greasy slime bag!"

"Right with you…"

"Guys, calm down!" Luna said authoritatively. "Let's go to the Hospital Wing…"

"Yeah… we have to find him…" Ginny said desperately.

"Lie down, Severus, and take the potion," Madam Pomfrey said firmly.

"I'm fine…" he protested, but finally he gave up and took the Dreamless Sleep Potion.

"Albus, what in the name of Merlin happened to these two?" she demanded, turning to Dumbledore. "Harry has no physical wounds and his magical aura was strong when I tested him with the scanner. Why is he unconscious… he shows the symptoms of one in a traumatic nightmare mixed with a… nearly fatal seizure, but how does that explain the blood from his scar? Dumbledore, I told you this dueling tournament was a wretched idea!"

Dumbledore took a deep breath and held up his hand, as if to deflate the angry nurse. "Voldemort attacked the boy through his scar, Poppy. I believe it was through some form of Legilimency. As you can imagine, it is very painful to have your mind broken into, and Harry passed out."

"His mind appears fine on my scan… there was no damage done…"

"Then he should awake soon," Dumbledore said. 

"Harry!" Ginny said, bursting inside of the room. 

"Stop right there!" Pomfrey said. The four kids came to a quick halt, but their determined looks did not fade.

"Is Harry okay?"

"He will not be if you bumbling kids interfere with his healing!" Madam Pomfrey bellowed protectively. 

"Now, Pomfrey, I believe we can give Harry's friends an explanation," Dumbledore said. "Harry is unconscious at the moment, but we believe he will make a full recovery. Voldemort attacked Harry's mind."

"Yeah, right after Snape softened him up!" Ron said heatedly. "Snape battered Harry around and made it possible for Voldemort to almost kill him! Damnit! Why did you just sit there-"

"That is not the truth, Mr. Weasley. The only two who can give us an accurate account of what happened are sleeping, so let us refrain from jumping to conclusions," Dumbledore said. "Harry will recover soon and I am sure he would not want his friends to worry over him."

"Professor, I was wondering why Voldemort chose today to attack Harry? Is it only because it is Halloween? Voldemort didn't do anything last Halloween," Hermione said, a curious look on her face.

"Voldemort was occupied with other pursuits last Halloween, Ms. Granger. Guessing at what is going on in Voldemort's mind is always a hard game, but given his desire to make others miserable, I would guess that he pulled Harry into his mind as he was committing his typical, despicable deeds. Alas, that was always Voldemort's style, to torture his enemies and try to break their will. To make them feel weak and helpless…"

"How come Harry never passed out this badly last year?" Ginny asked, shuddering as she remembered how she had felt with Tom Riddle in her mind. 

"Again I remind you this is a guess… it would seem that Harry and Voldemort had a true battle of the mind, possibly with Professor Snape's assisting Harry. Voldemort, Harry, and Snape all used a considerable amount of strength and mental power. I would guess that Voldemort is feeling tired as well."

"He killed them all," a soft whisper echoed. Everyone turned to look at Harry, but he was sleeping again, bothered not by Voldemort, but by screams and fire. 

"Harry!" Many people strode to his side, only to be shoved away by Madam Pomfrey. "If he is resting, let him rest! Here, Harry…" She coaxed his mouth open and slowly poured the Dreamless Sleep Potion down his throat. The gentle, caring face evaporated as she turned to the kids. "You can see him tomorrow. Out!"

"Thank you, Madam Pomfrey… we all appreciate the help you've given Harry," Ginny said, right before leaving. 

She gave the redhead a nod, her harsh face softening, resembling a motherly smile, if only for a second. "Run along now dear, I'll take good care of him."

Harry woke up the next day, groaning as he realized that he had ended up in the Hospital Wing again. All of a sudden, the events all came back to him, beginning with Snape being the Half-Blood Prince, and ending with Voldemort vying for control of his mind.

He felt tired, but he shook his head and rubbed his eyes, knowing he now needed to think. He looked around, and seeing no one nearby, he stood up shakily. Then he sat back down, knowing that as soon as he was better, he would be interrogated heavily. He wasn't quite ready for that; he had to figure some things out for himself first. 

He couldn't get Voldemort's jarring face out of his mind, and the hatred and revulsion he felt made it impossible for his mind to function coolly. All along, during his summer and school year, he had been content to train for the eventual battle, but now, he began to realize something. It wasn't just a matter of training to fight Voldemort, it was about doing so before the deranged lunatic destroyed Great Britain. When he trained, he pushed himself hard, but a part of him always knew that he had a few years. 

A few years? Everyday Voldemort killed and tortured. Timing would be everything, Harry couldn't spend a few years leisurely learning how to kill Voldemort, because by then, the death toll would be enormous. A part of him wanted to go out and fight Voldemort as soon as possible, to channel the hate he was feeling right now into furious spells, but another part of him, perhaps the more rational part told him that he had to take as much time as he needed to get ready, or he would be nothing but a sacrificial lamb. On top of that, he would be lying if he said he wasn't a bit scared of Voldemort. 

Anger, fear, anxiety… Harry felt himself reaching a boiling point. He had to keep training as he had been, but he could never forget the bigger picture; that Voldemort was out there, murdering and torturing. The one priority that overshadowed everything else was that he had to get ready to fight and kill Voldemort and his Death Eaters as soon as possible. The casualties would be inevitable, he had to accept that and dedicate himself to minimizing the casualties by decreasing the time Voldemort had to wreak havoc. Before Halloween, he had trained hard, but when he stepped back and looked at the bigger picture, he realized that he hadn't done enough. There was no such thing as 'good enough' in the world Harry inhabited. 

He decided to take shower, hoping to calm himself down. There were other matters to consider. 

He still found it hard to believe that Snape was the Half-Blood Prince. It just seemed ridiculous that the book that had quickly become his bible would have been written by someone he loathed as much as Draco Malfoy. No, that wasn't right… he had loathed Snape in the past, but this year, Snape had been… different. Exceedingly contemptuous and nasty, but not deserving of Harry's hatred. 

In fact, Harry owed him his gratitude, and not just for helping him fend off Voldemort's mental attack. If Snape wrote the _Tome of Shadows_, than Harry had learned more from Snape than he had from any other professor at Hogwarts, Lupin coming in a close second. It was because of the brilliance of the Half-Blood Prince that Harry was able to learn wand-less magic, which in turn helped him with other avenues of study, such as his Animagus training and dueling, which ended up saving his life on multiple occasions. Of course, had he not found the Half-Blood Prince's notes, he still would have trained, but the book had pushed him in directions that he normally would not have gone in. It was an irrefutable fact that the Half-Blood Prince possessed an intimate knowledge about the intricate relationships between different fields of magic. 

When he thought about it, he realized he should have figured this out sooner. 

"_He came to Hogwarts knowing more dark magic than a seventh year…"_ Harry remembered vaguely. He also remembered the jokes about Snape's greasy nose, always inside of a book. Snape had then joined the Death Eaters… even if the man wasn't a true Death Eater at the moment, he had probably learned all he could under Voldemort. It was even possible that Snape used Legilimency against other high ranking Death Eaters, such as the Malfoys or Lestranges, to steal their precious trump-card spells from their minds. 

Dumbledore had some reason for trusting Snape; a reason that most likely involved events over a decade ago, since that was when Snape had become a professor at Hogwarts. If it was true that Snape hated Voldemort, then it was a reasonable assumption that he had pursued the knowledge and power to kill Voldemort, just like Harry was doing now. Of course, this was all speculation…

Harry needed to figure out exactly what was going on with Snape. He needed the truth; why did Snape know so much about the Dark Arts? Harry wouldn't condemn Snape for knowing what he did; that would be hypocrisy. There was a world's difference between knowing Dark Magic and being evil. Harry didn't think that Snape was on the latter side, but he had to know for sure. 

Plus… it was Snape. That alone left a nasty taste in his mouth. Whatever Snape was, he was a nasty git, and Harry's gut instinct couldn't help but think that any dealings with the dark man was a bad idea. But there were times when listening to instinct wasn't enough. There were other variables to consider, and he had to look beyond his inherent dislike of the man. He was no longer the boy who was ruled by his surface feelings and gut; he was the man who analyzed the courses of action, and would choose the one that had the highest probability of yielding the best results. His instinct was telling him that dealing with Snape had potential for harm, but his mind was telling him that there was a lot he could learn from the Half-Blood Prince.

Similarly, he had to know why Snape had this interest in him. Snape had asked him to come to his office after revealing that he was the Half-Blood Prince. What did the DADA professor plan on doing? Would it be beneficial to Harry or not? Harry had to give him the benefit of the doubt, but he couldn't let Snape snatch the book from his arms and Obliviate him. The need for answers burned at him, until he shook his head and forced himself to think practically.

First things first, he told himself. He had a few days until his scheduled meeting with Snape, and he had to get out of this Hospital Wing before Dumbledore came and tried to pry information from him. At the moment, Harry didn't know what information to keep to himself and what he could reveal, simply because he didn't know what was true and what was false. He needed to get out and observe exactly what was happening in Hogwarts and what people were thinking, so he could calculate exactly what to tell everyone. The first thing he realized was that he didn't want any of this to get into the press — especially the bit about him having a Legilimency-induced seizure. He had learned that the one true way to keep something secret was to tell the fewest number of people possible.

He silently crept out of the Hospital Wing, gathering up his wand and belongings. He was on his way to the Room of Requirement, but with a stab of frustration, he remembered that it was blocked. One of these days, he was going to work out that puzzle… Instead he got under his cloak and went to the Gryffindor Common Room. He got changed into his school robes, and did a few Occlumency exercises, calming his mind and pushing images of the horrible vision to the back of his mind. He looked at a nearby clock, estimating that his friends would return here in an hour. Enough time to calm his mind and think of what to tell them. He didn't want to lie to anyone, what choice did he have when there was some type of insane force guiding his life, putting him into intricate webs of danger and power? 

He sighed, resigned to the fact that he would just have to let events unfold, and do his best not to sink or let the unfolding events bury him. He didn't know what tomorrow would hold, but he would still walk down the same path, with the same goal firmly planted in his mind. There was no point in deluding himself with the notion that he was in complete control of his future, but by the same coin, he did have control of his actions, and he would be damned if he did anything less than meet the challenges of the future head on, with all of his strength, courage, and cunning.

A/N: A huge thank you to my beta and to those who review. Tell me what you think. I realize that I have spent a few chapters delineating the last two weeks or so, but from now on, the pace will pick up a bit. I started this story aiming for a certain length and pace, but now, I'm reanalyzing that. So I hope no one was put off by the uneven passage of time in this story. Aside from that, I cannot think of anything else to note, so I'm off to go hopefully write a few more K words, but most likely end up getting sidetracked by plot bunnies, which will most likely never survive to become even one-shots. Have a nice day.


	13. Chapter 13: Faces of the Hero

Author's Notes:

So, here's 13. Please R/R, more A/N at the bottom. I have reworked and hopefully improved chapter one, so if you have forgotten what happens in the beginning, I urge you to read chapter one again, but the plot is the same, it is only a bit more fleshed out.

Chapter 13: Faces of the Hero

He was sitting idly on the sofa when Ron, Hermione, Ginny, and Neville returned.

"Well, I think we should check back, just to make sure — Huh? Harry!" Hermione exclaimed.

"You're awake?" Ron said, demonstrating his powers of observation, which drew a snort from Harry, which he disguised as a nod. He had become good at that sort of thing.

"Yeah, I'm feeling fine, so I thought I would head back here. Why don't you three sit down?"

Ginny sat next to him, putting her arm around him, as if to reassure herself that a real, solid boy was there, not some fake image. "Are you sure you're perfectly okay? Pomfrey doesn't know you're here, does she?"

"Nope. So how have you been?" Harry asked promptly, before any further comments could be made.

"Fine, what about you?" Hermione said quickly, struggling to keep the curiosity out of her voice, but failing.

"Not so good, Voldemort was up to the usual; pointless killing of innocents and rubbing my inability to do anything in my face. Dreamless Sleep Potions are the best thing since sliced bread…"

Only Hermione recognized the Muggle saying, but she didn't laugh.

"Do you want to tell us what happened?" Ginny said, looking at those hardened green eyes. Though his face may have remained the same, his eyes couldn't hide anything, especially the pain he was feeling right now.

Harry nodded, having already decided that he would tell them the majority of what had happened. "Well, Snape and I were dueling, right? So Snape was clearly better than me, but I felt something weird. He was anticipating my moves too well. I concentrated and realized he was using really soft Legilimency, just enough to know perhaps what area I was aiming for with a spell. I… I should have just shoved him out and left it like that, but instead, I rammed into his head… which started a mental battle. I could have just eradicated him, and turned my attention back to the physical aspect of the duel, but I was so angry with him; I really wanted to break into his mind. I think I put up a good fight, but I obviously lost. Then, at that precise moment, Voldemort decided to crawl out his hole and take control of my mind, forcing me to see what was going on in his world. So, I had to see the bloody bastard unearthing my relatives. It was so wrong… just perverted on so many levels. I don't know… I didn't cry when I heard they had died; I was a bit sad, but there was so much going on, I just… didn't care. I had saved Lupin and Tonks, and I couldn't care less about Vernon. But then… everyone in my neighborhood… thirty people… were killed, and I know it was because Voldemort wants to make me feel guilty. He wants me to feel that it is my fault they died, simply because I exist. Then… if you really want to know, he went to an orphanage and burned it down, killing the kids inside. Don't ask me why, and don't ask me how he could have done such a thing; he's just not human. I… let's just not mention this again. I mean, we've always known Voldemort was fucked up… we've known things like this have been happening."

"But you haven't seen slaughter on this scale firsthand, have you," Ginny said, holding on to him tight.

"No. But I knew it was happening… it was just a matter of time until it happened in my area. All around the Muggle World, there has been 'disasters' and 'fires'. It was just a matter of time… The thing is, at Hogwarts, it's easy to feel distant from it all- like the war is some far away anathema that won't directly affect our nice, school lives."

"But you didn't do that, you've understood how imminent the danger was, and you have been preparing for it," Luna said. "You never tried to distance yourself from outside events, you did the opposite."

Harry opened his mouth to respond, but then exhaled in thought. "You're right. I was just shocked to see how much of a factor time is… I paid attention to the large attacks and battles, but I forgot that every single day, Death Eaters kill more people. I did have a sense of… urgency, but it wasn't enough."

No one could say anything. What was there to say? They just instinctively knew that they had to keep moving. Harry knew that the sooner he faced Voldemort, the sooner this bloodshed could stop… or the sooner he would be free, and not have to worry about the woes of the world. He closed his eyes; that would not happen! He could not think along that destructive train of thought.

"So what do we do now?" Ron asked. "What can we do?"

"What we do is get back to what we have been doing, except this time, take it seriously. I'm talking to myself here, as well. We stop thinking about Voldemort's goddamned shenanigans, and we concentrate on improving ourselves, so that we can fight his forces eventually. We ruthlessly and analytically find out where we need work, be it in dueling or… management of anger and emotions."

Ron looked at his feet when Harry said the last part of the statement.

"He's right," Neville said. "We can't get down and mope about the tragedies. We have to… just stuff it away for now, clear it from our minds. I had always thought that we would, I don't know, be able to wait until after our Hogwarts graduation to get involved in the war, but I'm guessing that isn't even an option anymore."

Harry nodded. "I know I've been wearing you down by making you lot train so much, and I know I have frustrated you sometimes by spending more time training than with you, but… it's only going to get worse. That was what I realized this Halloween, playtime is over. I… don't know if it's fair to ask more of you… but I have to train harder, I just know that."

"We'll help you. We may not like it, but I for one will be damned if I go back on my promise to see this through with you," Ron said staunchly.

"You never made any such promise," Harry pointed out.

"I never said it out loud."

Harry looked around at his friends. "Well… thank you, Ron. That means a lot to me. I may not say this enough, but as long as we're a group, I think we'll win in the end, no matter how difficult and unlikely it may seem now. Anyway, enough touchy-feely stuff — we have work to do."

Ginny nodded. "Harry, will you be okay? Will you have nightmares?"

Harry hated being reminded of his occasional mental troubles, but he kept a calm face, knowing that Ginny was just concerned, and responded, "I'll be fine, Ginny. For tonight, we will practice Occlumency; we all know how important that is. Then, I want each of you to do Snape's homework; find out what you did wrong in the dueling tournament, and what needs work. Ron, look at me. Mate, you're not a bad duelist," Harry said firmly.

Ron tried to interject something, but Harry plowed on. "As I've said before, your problem is nerves. I don't mean getting nervous, like last year with Quidditch, I mean allowing people to get on your nerve. Remember, whoever gets angry first, loses. Whether in arguments or fights, if you get angry, you're fighting with your nerves, when you need to fight with the right combination of mind, body, and heart. I know this will be hard, and you may hate me for saying this, but it is high time that you seriously get this problem worked out. I had a similar problem; I was impulsive, rash, emotional, and short-sighted. Then, I changed, simple as that, and it was the best thing that ever happened to me. Do you understand what I'm saying? You have a few flaws… just calmly and methodically eradicate them. If you need help, I'll help you in any way I can."

Ron looked at Harry, stunned. "Harry… I can't. I can't. It's just a part of who I am. I'll always be Ron. Ron the hothead. The dolt who is a friend of Harry. The tactless one who Hermione must have sustained brain damage to date."

"See, that type of statement is exactly what I'm talking about. That was probably the most tactless sentence I had ever heard from you."

Hermione sighed and glared at Ron. "You think I sustained brain damage?"

"Merlin, no!" Ron said quickly. "But… Harry, don't bother. Just let me be; I can't be like you… smart and coolheaded."

"We're all different, Ron. Harry isn't trying to turn you into him. If you would just take in his message, you would realize that what he is saying is that everyone has certain areas in which they need improvement, and for you it is keeping a cool head," Ginny told her brother. "If you learn how to stay calm and think clearly, next year, when you are in the dueling tournament, you will certainly beat Blaise."

"Precisely," Harry replied. "I can teach you powerful spells, but only you can develop your own mind. I can give you advice, but… it won't be fun. No one likes getting lectured."

Ron sighed and looked at Hermione. She nodded at him, indicating she clearly agreed with Harry. "We're training for a reason Ron. We're training because Harry thinks we need certain skills to survive and be successful in the wizarding world. Why don't you just try?"

"Fine. What do I do?"

"You accept that nothing will happen overnight," Harry said.

"Okay, got it. Then what?"

"No, you really need to think about it. Think about what you can do each day to literally change your mind for the better. Identify what needs to be changed, and construct plans accordingly."

"Ron, don't feel down. I… for fifteen years of my life, I was… I was invisible; a nobody. I… didn't talk to anyone or make any friends. I just spent my years crying about my parents, isolating myself from everyone, and… having dreams in my mind, but never taking a chance to play them out. Think about that. I was, in every sense of the word, pathetic. I wasn't brave; I desperately wanted the friendship that you three had, but I was way too shy to try to connect with anyone."

"That's not true, Neville. You never were pathetic," Hermione said gently, seeing the momentary lack of self-esteem in Neville's eyes.

"I don't think you were either, but the important part is that you became brave and made friends, Neville. Look how different you are? See, Ron, what Neville is saying is exactly right, even though he deserves a lot more credit than he gives himself. He is living proof; if you just will yourself to change, it can happen over time," Harry said sincerely. "See, we can tell you are changing already. The old Ron would have been royally angered by my lectures and would have stomped off. Think about it." With that, Harry decided there wasn't much else to say. An insidious voice in his head questioned the need to 'change' Ron. Ron, who didn't know how to rein in his anger or hold his tongue, was his best friend, and a good person, despite his minor flaws. Ron annoyed him, but Ron was in more ways than not, his best mate. What was the need to tamper with his character, to mold him into a figure that would suit Harry's needs? Harry utterly despised it when people tried to mold him, so shouldn't he lay off Ron and let any change in Ron come from within?

Harry blinked, ostracizing those thoughts from his mind. The fact of the matter was that the situation called for certain people, and if Ron wanted to be in the thick of the situation, he would have to change. It was the same with Hermione; this year, everyone had different roles, and the only option was to fit the roles. If Ron truly wanted to stand next to him in the war — and Harry didn't doubt Ron's promise and will — then he would have to change as quickly as possible, and Harry, the one in the position to best mold Ron, was obligated to ignore his nagging doubts and contribute his best effort to the task at hand. He only hoped that in the end, all of this 'training' and 'helping Ron deal with his temper' would truly help his friend and make him happier and healthier. He hoped that someday he would receive confirmation that he had truly improved his friends, not simply turned them into adept, formidable champions for his cause. Until that day, he had to believe that helping Ron deal with his anger, helping Hermione lose her illusions about authority and books, would yield only positive results.

Harry and his friends continued their training by the Quidditch field in the morning, but Harry was unable to find a place for them to regularly practice magic. They did go to Grimmauld Place twice a week, where Lupin and Tonks practiced dueling and Apparition with them, but Harry kept the days that they met each week different, because if he started to meet them regularly or too often, people would catch on. Dumbledore had probably already figured it out, but as long as he didn't figure out about how exactly they traveled, Harry wasn't too concerned.

Harry had begun to drive his friends harder in the mornings, saying that the only way to continually make progress was to continually increase the intensity and level of the workouts. He knew he was a bit harsh, but he knew that as he was here at Hogwarts, Voldemort was out there recruiting and making diabolical plans. Despite all of his work so far, Harry still felt as if he wasn't doing enough to fight Voldemort. There wasn't much he could do, other than start up the DA, which he didn't really believe would be a good use of his time. First of all, he would have to allow it to be supervised, and on top of that, he would have to deal with the many people who would come just to see the Chosen One. He would have to start where he left off last year, giving himself less time to study advanced magic. While this could be seen as selfish, Harry thought that if the world needed him to take out Voldemort, then he would spend his time transforming himself into a person that could destroy the Dark Lord.

And so, as November began, Harry threw himself fully into his training, determined to improve himself in every area that needed improving. He soon learned that he would have help in this area, but not just from the Half-Blood Prince.

"Mr. Potter, please see me after class," McGonagall said the day after Halloween.

Harry nodded; he had forgotten about McGonagall's offer. His head had been filled with other recent events. Luckily, he had everything prepared.

"Harry, have you had time to thoroughly come to a decision concerning potential Animagus training?" she asked.

"Yes Professor," Harry replied. "I have thoroughly researched the training, and I have taken the Animagus Revealing Potion."

"You what?" McGonagall shrieked. "Harry, you didn't go into the trance unsupervised…?"

"Ahem, well…"

"Harry that was extremely foolish! You were lucky that no problems arose while you were in the trance. Do you know that the slightest mistake in making the potion can cause the body to enter a seizure or worse?"

"I double checked everything, Professor. Don't you know that I'm a star Potion's student?" Harry's grin dissolved when McGonagall's face didn't lighten.

"Never have I seen such foolishness. Even your father had the sense to have someone nearby, even if that someone was Sirius Black," McGonagall plowed on. She took a deep breath. "Well, did you see anything?"

Harry wiped the ashamed look off of his face and replied, "Yes, Professor. I am a Black Hippogriff."

McGonagall looked at him strangely. "A hippogriff? That is… well, I hesitate to say impossible, but there are no records of hippogriff Animagi, most likely due to the complicated bone structure and anatomy of such a beast. Are you absolutely sure, Harry? You saw a hippogriff? Perhaps it was really a large bird or… obscure land creature?"

"I'm absolutely sure, Professor. It looks a lot like Hagrid's new Hippogriff, although a bit smaller, and black with green eyes," Harry said firmly.

"And the potion, you are sure, was…"

"Correct," Harry stated. Of course, she didn't need to know that he used an illegal potion that cost him more Galleons than it would take to supply the Gryffindor Quidditch Team with brand new Firebolts.

"Have you studied the hippogriff in detail yet?" McGonagall asked. She was still shocked by the fact that eventually the boy in front of her would be able to turn into a massive winged beast, with a wingspan of twenty-four feet. Merlin… she had taught Transfiguration for a very long time, and in that time she had taught many talented Animagi, but she had never had to deal with a transformation that involved the head and wings of a giant eagle, the enormous claws of a lion, and the sleek legs of a horse. It was a nightmare, but at the same time, she was intrigued and even a bit excited.

"Yes, I have. I've spent a lot of time with Thunderwing."

"And you can close your eyes and produce an exact replica of the animal you saw in your trance?"

"I think so." Harry closed his eyes. "Yeah."

"Well you certainly have prepared admirably. I must say I am impressed. I trust that you are being truthful down to the last degree in answering my questions?"

"Yes, professor," Harry said.

"Good. Even the slightest misunderstanding can cause problems. Now, I was expecting to have to work with you on the potion, but you are a few lessons ahead of me, it would seem. I think that we should meet twice a week for an hour each, and it would be prudent of you to practice for at least one hour a day in between lessons. I am not sure, but I believe that should allow you to fully complete your form by the end of your Hogwarts career."

Harry refrained from doing anything besides nodding. He really didn't plan on taking over say, six months.

"For now, you should start by attempting to get a degree of control over your body without using a wand. Try to change the length of your fingernails. This will be a good exercise to improve your focus and concentration as well."

Harry nodded. He could already do that, but he decided he had given her enough surprises for the day. This way, he could pretend to practice, and use the time to work out the issue he was having with Snape…

"Professor."

"Potter."

Harry shut the door behind him and looked at his Defense Against the Dark Arts professor, bringing back memories of unpleasant lessons that happened a year ago.

"Well… we might as well get to the point. You broke into my mind, and know I have been learning from the Half-Blood Prince. And… you are saying that you are the Prince?"

"Correct."

"How do I know you aren't lying?" Harry said, eyeing his professor closely.

"Do you need me a cast some choice spells on you to prove it?" Snape sneered. "Potter, use your brain, why else would I have been suspicious of you when you not-so-subtly began to know spells that I created?"

"There's some pretty dark stuff in there," Harry prompted.

Snape smirked. "I wouldn't expect you to be able to stomach it, boy."

Harry's eyes narrowed. "What do you want from me? Why did you call me here? Do you want the _Tome_ back? Or do you want to sneer for an hour about how you are better than me at dueling?"

"This isn't about what I want," Snape said. "Keep the book."

"Then what? If you're looking to make me swear not to tell Dumbledore you're one of the darkest wizards alive, other than Voldemort and perhaps one or two of his inner Death Eaters, you will need to give me proof that you aren't one of Voldemort's inner Death Eaters," Harry said threateningly.

Snape rolled his eyes at Harry. "And Dumbledore would believe you over me? No, you will not approach him. And… Potter, you do realize that you have been learning illegal arts. Why is it that you say 'Dark wizard' with such venom?"

Harry was about to blurt out something along the lines of 'because a Dark wizard murdered my parents', but then he stopped himself. "I'm not concerned about whether or not you are a dark wizard or not, I need to know if you're in Voldemort's league!"

Snape nodded. "You crave the knowledge and the power, and that is a good thing. Can you blame me for being the same way? For attempting to become as powerful as I could?"

"I suppose I can't. I suppose that you have managed to teach me more than any other professor at Hogwarts…" Harry said uneasily. Harry's face hardened abruptly. "But you're avoiding my question."

"Have you not learned that nothing at all in this world comes in the form of a direct answer?" Snape asked, smirking victoriously.

"What. Do. You. Want," Harry growled, his mind bubbling to know what Snape was angling for in this conversation. "It's high time for a direct answer."

"I am an opportunist, Potter. I never would have expected my knowledge to enter your mind, but it has. We are in an unexpected situation, and all we can do is make the best of it. You need to learn how to fight Voldemort, and I need someone to kill the bastard, so I can finally be free," Snape said. "I want him dead as much as you do, do not doubt that."

"You weren't inclined to teach me last year," Harry pointed out.

"You weren't inclined to teach yourself last year. You never put extra time into preparing for battle, you never excelled at your studies… you were weak, in just about every way imaginable. This year, you have changed, and I, an opportunist, am aware that teaching you the arts you will need to fight the war would benefit the both of us."

"So basically, last year, you were sure Voldemort was going to come out on top, so you didn't want to risk your neck by appearing to help me. You're on Voldemort's side when the murdering and torturing is going swimmingly; you're ready to wear a mask and hide your true beliefs when it looks like Voldemort will come out on top…. And now, now that I have a chance, you're changing sides."

"Can you blame me?" Snape asked. "Last year, did _you_ believe you had the slightest chance of winning?"

Harry froze for a moment. Then, he exhaled and said, "No, I was sure I wouldn't live to see twenty. Still, you… if you hate Voldemort as much as you claim to, why would you have not, at the very least, taught me Occlumency properly? If you hate him, then you should be willing to risk your life to defeat him."

"It would not just be a _risk_ of my life had you learned Occlumency, Potter. I was specifically instructed to make sure you made no progress. If you had stopped dreaming of the Department of Mysteries, I would have been killed. Listen, don't interrupt…. You showed no special ability then, so I believed that even if I had risked my life, I would have risked it for nothing. I thought it out and came to the conclusion that even if I defied Voldemort and taught you Occlumency, you would still be mincemeat. The issue of whether or not I am willing to risk my life to defeat Voldemort is not in the least pertinent to this issue."

"Fine, that I can understand. I wouldn't have betted on myself either last year. Why have you changed you mind? Because you're an opportunist, and you think that now I will be the victor? I'm still leagues behind him, Professor. He can still make mincemeat out of me, not that much has changed," Harry said.

"Do you truly believe that? Do you still believe you have no chance?" Snape asked.

"No, but I would expect _you_ to think that," Harry retorted.

"I think you have no chance unless you seriously bear down and start to _learn_," Snape said condescendingly.

"I have been! You have no idea how hard I have been working."

"No, I don't. What I do know is that whatever you have been doing, it isn't enough," Snape retorted. "I think Halloween clearly delineated your many shortcomings."

"I'm doing as much as I can."

"Well the fact of the matter is that more needs to be done. To defeat Voldemort, you need his knowledge," Snape said grimly.

"Where are you going with this?" Harry asked wearily. Snape was just repeating facts that Harry knew. He knew that however much he was preparing, he needed to do more. He knew that he had to learn the types of spells that Voldemort had mastered.

"Perhaps Dumbledore can teach you… perhaps you can gain a repertoire of spells fit to combat Voldemort from him."

"You know that won't happen," Harry said irritably. "Dumbledore is only interested in preaching. I don't doubt that he would be an extremely effective in teaching me how to wield magic if he dedicated all of his considerable power to the task of solely preparing me for the final battle. I just know that he won't do so — I'm not interested in his agenda, whatever it may be, and he's not interested in mine."

Snape nodded. "Luckily for you, there is another option. There is a man who has, from the age of eleven, pursued knowledge with determination and fervor, and I do not mean the type of knowledge that a Ravenclaw would pursue. That man was blessed with extremely sharp powers of the mind and unbarred ambition. Why do you think I joined Voldemort? Because I was eager to learn all I could. Unfortunately, he sensed that I was becoming a threat to him, and he destroyed a portion of my magical core. My mind is as sharp as ever, and I am his equal when it comes to Legilimency, but he crippled me, Potter. Oh, he was very clever about it. He Obliviated me afterwards, and for some reason, I believed that Dumbledore was the one who blocked me from reaching my full potential. The obliviation didn't work though; I was aware that Voldemort had done something to make me believe that Dumbledore had destroyed a portion of my magic, and eventually I managed to regain my full memories. To this day, he doesn't know that I am aware of his meddling. I was furious, but I kept up appearances, pretending to hate Dumbledore with all my heart. I was so close to giving up… but I forced myself to accept that I would only be average when it came to power. With a vengeance, I perfected my Occlumency and Legilimency, and while keeping up appearances, I learned as many spells as I could. The Lestranges and Malfoys… I found out their secrets, spells passed down from father to son…"

"That's why you're the perfect spy, isn't it? Voldemort thinks you have an ironclad reason for hating every fiber of Dumbledore's body, and Dumbledore thinks the same thing in regards to your hatred of Voldemort."

"Exactly."

"Why did you join the bastard in the first place?" Harry asked, ignoring Snape's question.

"I told you; I craved power and he offered it to me. A… friend brought me to him, and I was enthralled by his displays of power. I am not proud of my actions, but the past is the past."

"Did you hate Muggleborns? In your fifth year you called my mother a Mudblood, even when she was defending you."

Snape didn't answer at first. "I didn't like Muggleborns, Potter. I didn't like Muggles. That is neither here nor there."

Harry knew from the finality in Snape's voice that he would receive no further information. "So you joined Voldemort, and then started to hate him when he weakened you? That is the great reason that Dumbledore has for trusting you?"

"Were you expecting something different, Potter? Perhaps you were under the illusion that I was searching for some idealistic notion of redemption? Ridiculous!" Snape said curtly. "I hate him because I could have been great… and he limited my potential. I want to spit on his dead body; I want this mark off of my arm. I know that whatever chance I had of killing him is gone, so the only way to get my wish is through you."

"You know, Snape, you weren't kidding when you said you weren't a good guy. But… you are right about one thing; good and evil doesn't matter here if you can honestly teach me how to fight Voldemort. I suppose it doesn't matter that the Ministry would put you in Azkaban if they were aware of half of the things you have told me," Harry replied. "For what it is worth, you didn't deserve to be picked on by my father, especially if that was a major factor in your decision to join Voldemort. I think that if you can promise to teach me seriously, without deriding me, then I'll promise to do my best to learn."

Snape nodded. "Then you will continue whatever exercises you have been doing, and on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays, you will report to my office at 8 p.m. You will not mention what I have told you to anyone. I will not be Professor Snape to you; I am the Half-Blood Prince, Master of Dark Arts, and all that we will discuss is training. We will not waste time on the topics of our pasts again. I do not know who you are, and you do not know me; the only thing of importance will be transforming you into someone who can kill Voldemort and his Death Eaters. You will come ready to learn and you will follow my instructions precisely, down to every last detail."

"I can do that," Harry replied. "Professor."

Harry didn't tell anyone about Snape's offer. He thoroughly read over the _Tome of Shadows_, and realized that he was able to successfully cast only one third of the spells in the book. Once again, wondered if he was doing the right thing by foraying into Dark magic. He couldn't help but wonder how marvelous it would be to be able to stand up to Voldemort and match the man's power, but he also knew that he was becoming something that his parents and friends would… have been ashamed of?

Harry shook his head; he would worry about what they thought when it was their judgment that would keep evil from overtaking his world. He had to stay firm to this path that lay before him; the path into the shadows; a path that he didn't know if he would ever emerge from. He had to sully his soul with the darkest arts that would allow him to fight Voldemort on even ground. Someone had to do it.

He sighed. Dumbledore didn't want to work with him. Snape, on the other hand, appeared to have some reason to work with him. One told Harry to embrace his ability to love, and the other told Harry to embrace his power and fight. Harry knew who he agreed with; he wanted to save lives, and to do that, he needed to take lives. Love… love wouldn't help him here, just as it hadn't helped him when Sirius died. Perhaps there was honestly some way that love would kill Voldemort and save him, but Harry had no proof that such a blessing existed. War fed the cold and strong, while it buried the weak and caring. Being weak and caring had a nasty way of leaving him writhing on the ground pitifully, screaming in pain from a Cruciatus Curse… or staring at a veil, tears in his eyes, a hole in his heart.

And so, Harry forced himself to learn all that he could from his new teacher. Instead of holding a candle against the shadows that had surrounded his life, he embraced them, hoping desperately that power would bring him what love would not: victory. Heaven be damned, Harry had to journey to hell to slay the monster.

Harry didn't tell anyone about the new developments. His friends thought he just went off to train on those evenings. It was better that way; he knew his friends would stand by his side, but he also knew that there were places to where they could not journey. Harry was content to keep them unaware of this recent development.

In the flurry of events that came after Halloween, Harry had forgotten about the interview he had given. Of course, when he had walked down to breakfast, a bit late, to find everyone holding a copy of the _Daily Prophet_ and staring at him, his memory was jogged. It was a nasty shock really, remembering that on top of his rigorous schedule, he would have to deal with publicity, even though he asked for it in this case. Biting his lip in anticipation, he sat down and read his _Daily Prophet_.

_**HARRY POTTER SPEAKS OUT AGAIN: **_

_Ladies and Gentlemen, when one Harry Potter, also known as the Boy-Who-Lived and the Chosen One, gave an interview last year in which he named a number of individuals as Death Eaters and told the truth about You-Know-Who's reincarnation, he was ridiculed by many. Luckily, this reporter, the faithful Rita Skeeter, believed our hero. I was not surprised when the truth came out; that the members of society that Harry Potter had named as Death Eaters were indeed Death Eaters, and You-Know-Who was indeed alive. _

_Minister Fudge has often been berated for his lack of foresight in dealing with You-Know-Who, but an interview with Harry Potter put the situation in a different light. As Potter put it, "the Minister and I do have a plan to defeat You-Know-Who. I cannot reveal it, and I cannot promise it will be quick and easy, but we have been working together to develop a series of actions that will eventually defeat You-Know-Who." Parts of Minister Fudge's contributions to the plan include revolutionizing the Auror Department. Harry Potter praises Fudge for expanding the Auror Department and it is known that Harry Potter is personally working with the Aurors to prepare them to fight Death Eaters. _

_But that is not all, not by a long shot. Potter has revealed that he is indeed the Chosen One. As Fudge put it, "Potter does indeed have the You-Know-Who situation under control. He has beat him once and can beat him again." When this reporter asked why our savior cannot save us at the moment, he replied, "It is not a matter of simply assassinating You-Know-Who. It boils down to a war in between Death Eaters and the Ministry. We are building up our army at the moment. I have gotten past my differences with Minister Fudge and he cannot express the remorse he feels for his lack of judgment last year. We are working together now to build an army that can ensure the world will be safe. In time; that is the key. It will take time, but if we unite; if you, the person reading this paper, does his part against You-Know-Who, we can eventually have victory."_

_The results of Potter and Fudge's alliance can be seen in the recent foiled attacks on Longbottom Manor and Bones Manor. Both prominent families were attacked by Death Eaters, many of which had escaped from Azkaban. Potter single handedly defeated multiple high-ranking Death Eaters at Longbottom Manor, while the Ministry foiled the attempted assassination of Amelia Bones. Harry Potter, weakened by his great feat, was assisted by the Ministry, who quickly took the criminals to Azkaban._

_That leads to the next of Fudge's wise reforms. Fudge and Potter have gathered a team of the best of the best in fields such as ward construction, prison management, and defense to create a completely impenetrable Azkaban. Potter says, "I was inclined to blame Fudge for not realizing Dementors would side with He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, but I must say, I believe his plans for a new Azkaban will surely fix the mess the Dementors created. Soon, we will be able to cut deeply into You-Know-Who's forces and keep him from bolstering his ranks."_

_This reporter, perhaps the only one who believed in Potter last year, urges readers to not act rashly and remove Fudge from his office. If we derail the plans our Minister has set in motion, we will lose the war. Harry Potter asked me to end this report with this message: "Everyone has a part to play. If you know someone who has been dealing with You-Know-Who or has a Dark Mark on their forearm, do not hesitate to inform the Auror Department or the Minister himself. We will give you protection and ensure that whoever fell in with You-Know-Who cannot hurt any innocents. Everyone needs to contribute something; whether it be with your wand, or simply keeping your eyes open and steering friends and family away from You-Know-Who. If you are a merchant who sells his goods to Death Eaters, then stop, because you are fueling the murderer. If you find yourself in a situation where you are in contact with someone you suspect is in league with You-Know-Who, then do not panic; just use your brain, get to safety, and contact me or the Ministry as soon as possible. I have found that using my brain is what allows me to defeat Death Eaters. What I am asking of you is this; if you can find a way to help, do not hesitate. You too can be a part of the new world the Minister and I are creating. I may be the Chosen One, but I am only one man. The Minister and I, with you, the Wizarding World of Great Britain, behind us, will once and for all destroy all that plagues our society."_

"Merlin, she's good," Harry muttered. "That last statement… she really drew that one out. I don't think I said half of that… I sound a bit pretentious, don't I?"

Everyone was looking at him gob smacked. He could hear his name mentioned around the hall… he could see a few Slytherins staring at him angrily. Dumbledore had such an intense look of sadness, of solemn disappointment…

Harry shrugged it all off, telling himself that he had never cared what people thought, so why start now? He had acted how he saw fit and he wouldn't let anyone take that away from him. "Would have been nice if she had written down the truth though… and I don't remember saying 'You Know Who' either…" he mumbled. "Next time I'll make sure that she writes 'Voldemort'."

"Harry, I cannot believe you! You're letting Fudge take credit for everything you and the Order have accomplished. You're getting people to call you the Chosen One and… worship you," Hermione said in horror.

"I told you, Hermione, it wouldn't be pretty. Still, I would have expected you to be the one who wouldn't think about it emotionally," Harry said. He analyzed the look on Hermione's face and guessed that she was at an anger level where she could not control the level of her voice. A quick _Muffliato_ ensured that no one outside of the group's edge of the table would overhear anything.

"But this is just wrong. Look… this 'Everything is under control'… 'Everyone needs to contribute'… what are you trying to accomplish? You're doing exactly what Fudge did last year! Lying to everyone! Are you trying to get people to follow the Chosen One's example and run and to die fighting Voldemort?" Hermione asked.

"Well, that is better than Voldemort suckering them in and sending them against us as fodder. Hermione, just think about it logically. For better or worse, the majority of the Wizarding World is like one big mob. If the leader charges and yells, they yell. If they view the Minister as the leader, and the Minister tells that Harry Potter is a hero, then they respect me. If they respect me, and I convince them to fight against Voldemort, then less people will join Voldemort. Sure, I could let Fudge destroy my reputation, and try to take him down with me, but then it is likely that Voldemort would be the one to profit."

"But it's all lies!" Hermione spat. "Voldemort isn't really weak at all, he's stronger than ever, and if you convince everyone to…"

"To what? Do what they should have been for years? Either I can rouse people against him with lies, or… they can listen to whoever the new Minister will be, who may very well be someone like Umbridge or Lucius Malfoy."

Hermione tried to argue more, but couldn't think of anything to say. "But, Harry… 'My brain has allowed me to defeat hordes of Death Eaters'… you're like Lockhart."

"And if Lockhart, back in his prime, told people to fight Voldemort, then people would have done so. I'd rather have their admiration than hatred… Look, I don't really care if you can't stomach this, all right. Sometimes you have to make decisions on a big scale, and when that happens, there is a mix of good and bad. Getting Fudge sacked would have done more harm than good."

"Because you want a puppet!" Hermione said, her voice getting higher-pitched as she got angrier.

"Yes, exactly. I want someone who will listen to me in office, not someone who may or may not do what is needed. You see, just like Lucius used his influence to get those anti-Muggle laws past, I need to use mine to do the opposite. The next time Dolores writes an anti-Werewolf law, I can just have Fudge veto it, you see?"

"But why can't you get Fudge sacked and work with the next Minister?" Ron asked, finally entering the conversation.

"Because Fudge and I have history. I know things that can put him in Azkaban."

"People are going to die! Why can't you realize it? You don't have a foolproof method of killing Voldemort! People are going to get themselves killed because their hero tells them to," Hermione said angrily.

"Good! If they can take a Death Eater with them, or allow us to capture one, than some good has come out of their existence!" Harry retorted. "Look around, Hermione, when students leave Hogwarts, they will either join the Ministry, the Order, or Voldemort. Anything - anything at all- that I can do to steer them away from Voldemort is a good thing. If I have to give them false hope that Voldemort is doomed, so they won't join him, so be it."

Hermione stalked off, her last sentence containing the words 'heartless' and 'cold' in them.

Harry shrugged and calmly ate his breakfast until someone tapped him on the shoulder.

"Hey Harry," a soft feminine voice said.

He turned around. "Hello Cho."

Neville and Ron turned to each other, instinctively realizing that there was a reason Cho had said hello to Harry and not Harry's friends.

"I just wanted to… I don't know, thank you I guess. This whole year, I haven't seen you around… a lot of people were thinking you were some sort of recluse or something. But now… now we know you're working hard to keep us safe… Merlin, I just feel so bad for all the trouble I put you through," Cho said, a single tear caressing her soft face.

Harry had a nasty feeling that she was expecting to be given some sort of hug. "Don't feel bad, Cho. I would like to think that we had some good times last year."

"I know Cedric would be proud of you."

"He would be proud of you, Cho, because you always held him in your heart. That's all one can ever do," Harry said kindly.

"Well, I decided what I'm going to do," she said, a new firmness in her voice. "I'm going to fight for him memory; I'm going to apply for Auror School."

"Oh…" Harry looked away for a moment. "If that's what you want to do. You have to be sure though; it has to be what you want."

"Well, I think it is. After last year, a lot of things became clear to me. Now I'm sure… you're right; people like me have to help."

Harry sighed. "Okay, Cho. I'm sure you'll have no problem getting in. You were really good last year and quick with the charms, if I remember right."

"Thanks, it was really nice catching up with you," she said, beaming at him.

Harry smiled back, Hermione's words ringing in his head. "Yeah, same here." _But don't ask to-_

"Would you like to catch up some more during this Hogsmeade weekend coming up? I mean, just a cup of coffee…"

"Hmm, I would really like to, but I'm booked this week, what with Quidditch, homework, umm… visiting the Minister."

"Oh, no problem, I get it," Cho said, giving him one last smile.

Harry nodded back and then exhaled. "Guys, let's go to Charms… Ginny, see you at lunch," he said, giving her a quick kiss. She didn't return it with much enthusiasm, a fact that Harry filed away for later pondering, but she did smile at him.

Harry took the time in Charms to calmly think. Damnit, he hadn't wanted Skeeter to take it this far! He didn't want her to go nuts with this Chosen One nonsense… he just wanted to give Fudge a little credit. Skeeter had taken it upon herself to portray him and Fudge as heroes. _Oh well_, he thought. Everyone needs a hero; someone has to do it. Hopefully some good will come out of this. What he had said to Hermione was true; every member of the Wizarding World did have a responsibility. If they wanted him to risk his life, then he wanted them to risk theirs. At the very least, some good would come out of the new Auror force and Azkaban. He wasn't arrogant enough to neglect the possibility of this whole operation to come back around and bite him, but he did think that the first part of his operation was a success.

Pretending to pay attention in class, he composed a note that he sincerely hoped would be received well.

_Moody, _

_You may be mad at me, but you are one of the best Aurors out there. The Minister has now sent you money. Please use it. Also, I would like you to oversee the building of a high-quality Azkaban. You know this will help fight Death Eaters. So for the moment, can you bury whatever anger you may have for me, and just do a good job with the construction? Please, spare no expense. If the Ministry stops funding you, tell me. Also, I know you are an ex-Auror, but we need you to teach the recruits how to fight. I believe it is a role in which you will excel. Once again, spare no expense. You know what is needed to fight Death Eaters; Constant Vigilance and a serious force of soldiers. Think of it this way; we are losing right now, but if we have two strong forces, the Ministry and the Order, against Voldemort, the table may be turned. You know wheat from chaff; make a team of the best Aurors who are prepared to kill and are dedicated to the destruction of Voldemort. Fudge will cooperate with you; if he doesn't please inform me. If in your work you find anyone who is a Voldemort supporter, do not hesitate to cart them off to Azkaban. _

_You may not like me, but we want the same thing. If you have any suggestions, I will be happy to hear them. _

_Sincerely, _

_Harry Potter_

Harry pocketed it and decided to mail it later. He did believe that Moody would do a good job with the prison; Harry didn't know anyone more experienced. Harry, like many others he imagined, was extremely frustrated by the way Death Eaters routinely broke out of Azkaban. The Order didn't kill anyone, even Death Eaters, which was why Voldemort would always outnumber the Order. There were only two things to do: find a way to keep captured Death Eaters in jail, or kill them. The second option would most likely result in less innocent lives lost and take less money, but Harry knew the Wizarding World wasn't ready to be that ruthless. He didn't know if he was ready to be that ruthless… sometimes it was so clear to him, the options painted in black and white, but at other times, he couldn't help but feel revulsion towards the idea that killing was the answer. He wouldn't judge someone else for killing a Death Eater in combat, but the idea of routinely exterminating those who ended up in prison was one he could not bare, whether or not they had committed murder or torture.

He knew he could have pushed Fudge in a direction regarding the punishment of Death Eaters, but for whatever reason, he had refrained in that department. Thinking practically, it also made sense, since many people, like Dumbledore and his supporters, would be royally pissed if he had gone as far as to get Fudge to say that all found with a mark on their arm deserved the death penalty. Harry cleared his thoughts, he would cross that bridge when he came to it, right now he had to make sure his plans didn't backfire, and to do that, he had to tie up one loose end.

He hadn't asked for Rita to balloon his hero-status, but she had anyway, and it was too late to do anything. She had stuck to the plan for the most part, and Harry decided he wouldn't be carrying through with his threats. If he could get Rita over to his side, to the point where she wrote what he told her too, then it would benefit him, although turning her into a beetle and putting her in a bottle would be immensely satisfying. Hoping that a stern scolding would keep her from overdoing it in the future, he prepared his next letter, thanking the reporter for writing the article, but pointing out that he had a good mind to have someone else write it next time.

Harry took a break and started to pay attention in class, realizing he had been staring off into space. Hermione, still angry with him, was purposely not looking at him, while many other people in the class were sneaking glances at him.

For better or worse, he would once again be the center of attention, like he was last year, but hopefully cast in a different light. This meant that what he said would have impact; if he told people to do something, some people would do it, simply because it was the Chosen One that was saying it. The Ministry wanted him to be the hero for reasons that would serve themselves, but Harry meant to use his hero status to accomplish his goals first, and then throw Fudge little treats to keep him happy. So what did Harry want to accomplish?

Fame, glory, wealth, women… some people would think that, it was inevitable. What Harry really wanted was for everyone to realize that if they wanted a certain Voldemort-free future, then they would have to fight for it. They needed to understand that this was their war, not just Harry's. Why should he be the one sacrificing everything? Everyone needed to do something to help with the problem, whether it be simply joining the Auror force and participating in the fight, or helping some other way, like refusing to do business with the bastards. True, the average man couldn't do much against a Death Eater, but every act against them would hurt them, and every man whose head was filled with the idea that he owed it to Harry to risk his life to help resist Voldemort, was a man who wasn't hiding in a hole while others died. Hopefully this would also help steer away young people that Voldemort convinced to join his cause. If they knew that the world was against them; that Harry Potter and the Ministry were cracking down on them with a vengeance, then perhaps they wouldn't serve Voldemort. Of course, Voldemort had the recruitment tactic of fear; those who said no to Voldemort ended up fattening Nagini. Still, hopefully he would be able to, at the very least, change the minds of a few naïve men who were thinking of seeking Voldemort out.

The fact he hadn't been pleased when Cho told him she had decided to become an Auror, still nagged on his mind. Great! Wouldn't that help more than if she went into some sort of commercial business? Didn't he want people to put their lives on the line, just as he had been doing? Why did their little talk leave a bitter taste in his mouth? When he thought about it, the uneasy feeling came from the notion that it was possible that she wanted to become an Auror because she felt she had a responsibility to do so, not because she felt it was the best career for herself. Harry sighed; the fact of the matter was that he hoped Cho was successful in life, whereas he couldn't care less about the faceless, average person who would believe everything in the Daily Prophet.

He shook his head absently; he had no real idea that his interview had changed her mind about anything, perhaps she had been planning this since Cedric died. Even if his interview had compelled her to apply to Auror School, wasn't that the purpose of his interview, to get people to fight? He should be glad… Cho should be trying to fight Death Eaters, just like other Aurors he knew, like Tonks. Still, there was something about this that left a nasty feeling in his gut, and he couldn't quite put his finger on it. He just knew it had to do with Hermione's words, as much as he wanted to banish those words into oblivion.

"Harry, class is dismissed," Hermione repeated.

"Oh yeah, sorry, zoned out there for a bit," Harry said, shrugging it off and standing up.

As they walked down the hall, Harry wondered why his friends were all speaking… carefully, without much humor. Ron… Ron was doing a remarkable job of staying right in between Harry and Hermione, just nodding to the both of them. Neville… Harry had no idea what Neville thought, and he really couldn't guess. He shrugged mentally and reminded himself that his thoughts were never dependent on those of others, and now was not the time to start stressing over what people thought, even if those people were his best friends. He did what he thought was best, and that was all there was to it. If they didn't like it, just as they hadn't liked his actions over the summer, then they would just have to accept it. Honestly, if they wanted to talk to him about it in a calm fashion, he would do so, but he wasn't going to regret his actions now, and he hoped he wouldn't come to regret them in the future.

His friends continued their training outside by the Quidditch Pitch early in the morning, and this weekend, they planned to visit Lupin and to attempt to finish their Apparition training, now that they could use it without Mafalda Hopskirt sending them a warming.

On Friday, he was torn from his thoughts by a flash. Fawkes appeared, a letter clutched in its talons. As it hovered over Harry, it deposited the letter in front of him.

_Thank you, Fawkes_, Harry communicated mentally. _I suppose this is from Dumbledore?_

Fawkes dipped his head in nod. _He only wishes to talk, young one._ With that, Fawkes soared away majestically.

"Who is it from? Dumbledore?" Ginny asked.

"Yeah," Harry said. He suppressed a stab of annoyance as all of his friends came closer, craning their necks and waiting impatiently for him to open the letter.

Harry opened it and briefly scanned it. "I have to meet him tonight."

"Well, I was expecting that to happen," Hermione said.

"Right." Harry said absently. "All right, can you lot practice Occlumency without me, then? I don't know how long this will take."

"Are you sure you want to go?" Ron asked. "I mean, Dumbledore may want to, you know… he was probably royally ticked by your interview. I know he hides it, but… are you sure you want to go alone?"

"I have to. If I don't, I'll appear to be immature. I don't think Dumbledore will do anything really; he will just lecture me to death," Harry replied.

"Well, Harry, I know you don't want to hear this, but… I think you should at least take in what he has to say. Wait! Listen…" Hermione said when Harry tried to interrupt. "I'm not saying to listen to him, but just hear him out and try to understand his perspective. Just give his words a chance."

Harry shrugged. "I always give him chance, but we're different, Dumbledore and I. We think different ways. I don't understand him, and he doesn't understand me. If he wants to discuss strategy or tactics with me, then sure, but I don't need his good-always-wins-bullshit. If he wants to give me advice on how to maximize my ability to help our cause, then I will listen to him, I really will."

"Well, for what it is worth, I think… well, I think that what you're doing is right. The Order… my parents fought for them. Fought for Dumbledore with a religious dedication, as my grandmother often says. Now they're as good as dead, and the evil they fought is as strong as ever. Something new needs to be done, and I can't think of anyone better to lead the way, Harry," Neville said, his eyes blazing. "At first I was uneasy about the whole thing, but now… now I can see that it all comes down to what will bring victory. I think you're on the right track."

Harry nodded, staring at Neville, looking for words. "I think you just said what I have been trying to say. I only wish more people in the world shared your attitude." With that, Harry looked at his watch. "Well, we had best get to class. Ginny, Luna, I'll see you two later."

Soon they were headed in their different directions, Harry's mind temporarily put at ease by Neville's words.

Harry walked to Dumbledore's office, expecting a foreboding unease to riddle through his body, but instead, he felt a tiny streak of… nostalgia. He couldn't place it; couldn't understand why there was a strange yearning in him as he traveled the familiar route to Dumbledore's office. It was as if walking to Dumbledore's office was some sort of perennial ritual, but this time, the sanctity of the ritual was jaded, and he was torn; his conscious self steadfastly content with the state of affairs, but his subconscious self quietly yearning for a restoration of the past. As he arrived at Dumbledore's office, he understood clearly. He was feeling nostalgia for a time when the ultimate panacea to his problems was a trip to the esteemed Headmaster's office, a time when instead of facing his problems himself, he would race to his Headmaster's grand office with a seemingly enormous problem and have it resolved by reassuring, venerated words.

**A/N:** _Sorry for the long wait on this chapter, I have been really busy. By the way, I reworked chapter one, there's about 2000 more words in it. No plot changes, but if you are so inclined, you can check it out. I will be reworking 2 as well, since I feel the first few chapters were written before I really knew what I was doing. Read it if you want, but you won't miss out on anything key if you don't. _

_Anyway, please tell me what you think of recent developments. _

_I guess the minor cliffhanger is what Dumbledore will say to Harry… What do you all think should happen? Are you starting to think that Harry does need someone's guidance? Just out of curiosity, who here agrees with Hermione over Harry? I think the majority will side with Harry judging from the number of people who have said Harry should turn his back on Hermione, but let's see if anyone can make a case for Hermione or even Dumbledore._

_Anyway, until next time. Thanks for reading._


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